While Kunal ‘quits’ from EC, Praveen Gupta ‘blooming’ in the ‘environment’!

Jaipur: IAS Krishna Kunal got relieved from the responsibility of Additional Chief Electoral Officer on Friday, after playing a long innings of three years and ten months in the department. Actually, Kunal himself had appealed to the Commission that he should be “relieved from the Election Commission since it was impossible for him to work considering the current atmosphere in the department.”

Considering his appeal, the department relieved him. First India had recently published a story that all was not well in the Election Department and Kunal was working in a half-hearted manner.

As of now, Kunal, a 2003 batch IAS, has the additional charge of Secretary of Minority Affairs Department. Prior to this, he had the charge of Secretary, Animal Husbandry Department and it is believed that DoP will accord him a new responsibility.

An important aspect, according to learned sources, is that two other officials will be changed in Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta’s team. The Election Commission will give approval to new names in place for Joint CEO Pratibha Pareek and Deputy CEO Alok Jain. DoP has sent a panel of three names for the three vacant posts. It is interesting to note that DoP had appointed Alok Jain, to the post of Deputy CEO, in the month of August only. But Election Commission turned down Jain’s name.

It is also important to note that Principal Secretary rank officer of 1995 batch - Praveen Gupta - has been handling the responsibility of CEO since July 2020 and thus, he has also played a record innings. But the Election Commission is so happy with his working that it has complete faith in his abilities and is going to hand him the reins of conducting the assembly elections three months down the line.