Head rolls in EC, BJP IT cell nexus

Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer Baldev Singh last Friday informed the ECI that his office neither had any “direct or indirect connection” with Dave, the national convenor of IT and social media of BJP’s youth wing, nor has Dave’s agency been awarded any work by the CEO or the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR).

Gokhale had said that the government-empanelled agency Signpost India, employed by the CEO, shared its registered address with another agency that was owned by Dave. As far as Signpost India is concerned, Singh informed the ECI that the agency was “appointed by DGIPR following due process”, only for voter awareness and sensitisation.

Meanwhile, amidst the present Covid-19 crisis and days af ter the launch of the Plasma Platina project, the state government has also removed the department of medical education and drugs secretar y, Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, who has been sent on compulsory waiting. Minister of Medical Education and Drugs Amit Deshmukh was reportedly unhappy with Dr Mukherjee’s style of functioning, which led to his transfer. Another trigger was also reports of illegal sale of plasma by non-Covid-19 patients at prices ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.50 lakh in various parts of the state. Already, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has announced that police will take stern action against such practices. He has also urged plasma donors not to be carried away by advertisements and has urged people to file complaints at the nearest police station against cheating. Dr Mukherjee has been replaced by Saurab Vijay, who was secretary, department of higher and technical education.

Further, former GST Commissioner Rajiv Jalota, who was on compulsory waiting, has been appointed as the additional chief secretar y of the higher and technical education department. Jalota’s appointment coincides with the state government’s decision to cancel final-year exams due to Covid-19 and the petitions filed in the Bombay High Court and in the Supreme Court.

Jalaj Sharma has been posted as additional municipal commissioner in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation.