K’taka IAS officer deputed as poll observer suspended for checking PM Modi’s copter

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K’taka IAS officer deputed as poll observer suspended for checking PM Modi’s copter

Mohammed Mohsin was suspended with immediate effect for acting contrary to the instructions of the Commission concerning SPG protectees.

The Election Commission on Wednesday suspended a General Observer belonging to Karnataka IAS cadre for allegedly checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's helicopter in Odisha's Sambalpur on Tuesday.

Mohammed Mohsin was suspended with immediate effect for acting contrary to the instructions of the Commission concerning SPG protectees and will be posted at Sambalpur till further orders, a poll panel letter dated April 16 said. According to the Election Commission order, he was suspended since "SPG protectees are excluded from checking."

However, Congress has alleged that there is no such rule that exempts SPG protectees from being searched. 

"The rule cited governs the use of official vehicles for campaigning. It does not exempt PM's vehicle from being searched," the Congress stated in a tweet. 

 

A Karnataka cadre officer of the Indian Administrative Service, Mohsin was deputed as a General Observer and working under the supervision of the poll panel in Odisha.

"... the Commission has considered the material available before it and prima facie finds it dereliction of duty," said the letter.

Sources told the Times of India that when PM Modi reached Sambalpur to address a rally on Tuesday, election officials inspected his convoy, which constituted a violation of protocol. 

A senior police officer present at Sambalpur airstrip, speaking on condition of anonymity told ToI, "A team of poll officials led by Mohsin inspected some papers in the chopper carrying the PM. The inspection delayed his arrival at the meeting venue by around 20 minutes which was reported to the ECI."

The Prime Minister had visited Odisha on Tuesday and addressed two rallies in Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar.

Mohsin is presently secretary in the backward classes department. Karnataka Chief Secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar said he was not aware of the incident and said the state cannot intervene in the matter. 

On whether the official is barred from carrying out his duties after the elections as a result of the order, Bhaskar said, "Only after we receive further directives from the commission we can consider the next step." 

Earlier this week, the Karnataka Congress had tweeted a 14-second video clip showing two men carrying a black box allegedly unloaded from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's helicopter to a private Innova parked at a helipad, claiming that the video was filmed soon after Modi landed in Chitradurga last week to address an election rally. The Congress demanded that the EC conduct a probe into the same. 

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IAS officer checks PM Narendra Modi’s chopper in Odisha; EC issues suspension order for ‘violation of norms’

The order issued by the Election Commission states that Mohammed Mohsin acted in violation of the poll body’s instructions concerning Special Protection Group protectees.

Bhubaneswar (Odisha): A major controversy has erupted after the Election Commission suspended a top poll observer in Odisha after the latter's move to check Prime Minister Narendra Modi's chopper delayed PM's departure by some 20 minutes.

As per reports, IAS officer Mohammed Mohsin, of the 1996-batch from Karnataka cadre, was handed suspension letter after he undertook a check of PM Modi’s helicopter in Sambalpur on Tuesday in violation of the norms.

Mohsin was posted as a general observer in Odisha, where Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are being held simultaneously. He was suspended on Wednesday.

The order issued by the Election Commission states that Mohsin acted in violation of the poll body’s instructions concerning Special Protection Group (SPG) protectees.

The EC action followed after adverse reports were received from the district collector and the deputy inspector general of police.

As per reports, the chopper check delayed the Prime Minister’s departure by about 15-20 minutes.

“Checking of the Prime Minister’s chopper, undertaken at Sambalpur, was not in accordance with the EC guidelines as SPG protectees are exempt from such checking,” an official said.

Also on Tuesday, a flying squad of the Election Commission had checked Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s helicopter in Rourkela.

A similar check was conducted on Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s chopper in Sambalpur on Tuesday.