Mizoram civil societies, parties hail EC move to replace poll officer

The Election Commission's move to replace S B Shashank as Mizoram's chief electoral officer on Thursday was welcomed by political parties as well as the civil societies that had spearheaded a movement to seek the poll officer's ouster.

The order came after a non-governmental organisation, Coordination Committee, the apex body of civil societies and students' organisations in the northeastern state, had launched an agitation demanding Shashank's ouster, following a row over allowing Bru refugees in Tripura to cast votes from there.

"We welcome anybody as state CEO, except Shashank, who was working against the interests of the Mizo people by making an all-out effort to register Bru voters in the Tripura relief camps without following established procedures," Vanlalruata, chairman of the committee, told PTI.

Earlier in the day, the EC announced that IAS officer Ashish Kundra was being appointed as the state's chief electoral officer with immediate effect.

Vanlalruata added the civil societies would cooperate with the new CEO if he was willing to work towards free, fair and peaceful polls.

Hailing the poll panel's decision, Lallianchhunga, the spokesperson the ruling Congress, said the EC took the right decision by removing Shashank.

He, however, expressed disappointment over the fact that a non-Mizo was chosen for the post. "We welcome the decision of the Election Commission. It is just that the Congress had expressed its wish to see a Mizo IAS officer as the new CEO."