Election Commission orders immediate removal of DGP of Jharkhand

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered the immediate removal of Anurag Gupta from his position as the Acting Director General of Police (DGP) of Jharkhand, instructing the state government to carry out the directive without delay. According to the ECI's order, issued today, Gupta must hand over charge to the senior-most available DGP-level officer within the cadre. The Jharkhand government has been mandated to comply with these instructions by 7 PM today and to submit a list of senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers for consideration by 10 AM on October 21, 2024.

The decision follows a series of complaints and controversies surrounding Gupta's conduct during previous election periods, leading to disciplinary actions from the Commission. In the 2019 General Elections for the Lok Sabha, Gupta faced allegations of bias from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the state’s current ruling party. As a result, he was removed from his role as Additional Director General (ADG) of the Special Branch and reassigned to the Resident Commissioner's Office in Delhi. The ECI had prohibited his return to Jharkhand until the completion of the electoral process.

Further, Gupta’s tenure has been tainted by earlier controversies, including allegations of misuse of authority during the 2016 Biennial Elections to the Council of States from Jharkhand, when he served as Additional DGP. These longstanding concerns appear to have significantly influenced the Commission’s latest decision, prompting the swift directive for his removal from the top police post. 

The Election Commission’s directive underscores its commitment to maintaining a fair and impartial law enforcement framework, especially in light of upcoming electoral processes.

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