ADM transferred after ‘spat with political leader’

AGRA : Additional district magistrate (ADM) Protocol Pushpraj Singh was transferred as deputy commissioner of Uttar Pradesh Awas Vikas Parishad here. The transfer is being seen here as a sequel to the former’s altercation with city president of Bharatiya Janata Party.

To note, after the incident, BJP workers had made it a prestige issue and gone vocal on social media against the transferred ADM. District magistrate Prabhu N Singh confirmed the transfer of ADM (Protocol) Pushpraj Singh. “He will now be the deputy commissioner at Uttar Pradesh Awas Vikas Parishad in Agra with immediate effect,” the DM said.

The transferred official could not be contacted despite efforts.

BJP city unit presdient Bhanu Mahajan said the transferred official was ‘prejudiced’ towards BJP candidates. “BJP candidates were not handed over winner certificates till late night bby the officer who misbehaved with me in the open,” he alleged.

The altercation between city unit president of To note, the altercation between Mahajan and ADM (Protocol) Pushpraj

Singh took place in the open at the Collectorate on Tuesday afternoon. BJP MLA from Etmadpur Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan was also present.

The issue was regarding delay in issuing of winner certificate of panchayat election to a candidate contesting from a ward in Etmadpur. Sources revealed that ADM (Protocol) Pushpraj Singh was authorized to issue winner certificate for panchayat election. It is said that Mahajan had entered the chamber of the ADM Protocol seeking early delivery of winner certificate to candidate but the latter objected and said that only the candidate could come to him.

This led to a heated exchange. BJP MLA Chauhan tried to pacify both but in vain. The video of the altercation went viral and later BJP workers went vocal on social media and sought the official’s transfer. On Thursday, the ADM Protocol was asked to take charge as deputy commissioner of Uttar Pradesh Awas Vikas Parishad office in Agra. Joint commissioner in UP Awas Vikas Parishad office in Agra Himanshu Gautam was handed over charge of ADM (Protocol), informed DM Agra Prahu N Singh. Maniknandan A, joint magistrate in Varanasi had been asked to join as CDO in Agra.