EC suspends officer for checking PM’s chopper

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission suspended an IAS officer on Wednesday night for checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s helicopter in Odisha’s Sambalpur, terming it a violation of norms in dealing with SPG protectees. In its order, the Commission said Mohammad Mohsin was suspended for actions contrary to its instructions concerning those being protected by the Special Protection Group (SPG).
At a briefing for the second phase of polling Thursday, EC officials were repeatedly asked to provide a copy of the instruction under which the official was suspended.
The officials replied that the instruction was part of the overall manual of instructions issued by the poll panel from time to time. However, there was no clarity as to whether the instruction barred search of PM’s convoy or the aircraft/helicopter.
Modi had visited Sambalpur to address an election rally on April 16. The Congress criticised the EC’s action against Mohsin, a Karnataka cadre IAS officer, saying the rules cited by it to punish the bureaucrat do not exempt PM’s vehicle from being searched. (PTI)