According a report published in The Indian Express; The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) stayed the Election Commission’s move to suspend an officer who, as a poll observer, had searched Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s helicopter in Odisha’s Sambalpur during a campaign rally last week.
“Shortly after the CAT passed the interim order, the EC revoked Mohammed Mohsin’s (IAS) suspension, but barred him from election duty and recommended disciplinary action against him to the Karnataka government. The poll panel, simultaneously, also warned the District Election Officer (DEO) of Sambalpur for his involvement in the helicopter search.”, reported The Indian Express.
EC order related to Mohsin’s suspension is based on the findings in a 32-page report submitted by the Deputy Election Commissioner Dharmendra Sharma.
Speaking to The Indian Express on the CAT order, Mohsin said: “I have gone strictly by the rules. I have not done anything wrong. Whatever are the rules will have to be followed”. Asked if he feared retribution for his action, he said: “I have an unblemished record in my 22 years of service. I have always followed what the law says.”
Dhrmendra Sharma allegedly found that Mohsin, a 1996-batch IAS officer from the Karnataka cadre, had violated instructions regarding SPG protectees. “The officer (Sharma) concerned spoke to all parties involved, including the suspended officer, and it was found that he (Mohsin) went out of his way to search (the helicopter), when the instructions clearly provide exemption,” said an EC official.
EC suspended Mohsin last week claimimng that he “had not acted in conformity” with instructions on SPG protectees, which includes the Prime Minister. Opposition parties had opposed the order saying the officer had not broken any rule.
Putting a on hold the suspension, the Bengaluru bench of CAT said “it cannot be said that SPG Protectees are eligible for anything and everything” and that “election officials have checked private vehicles of (Karnataka) Chief Minister Shri Kumaraswamy more than once and no action followed… the Chief Minister of Odisha’s vehicles were also checked.”
The Tribunal’s order also stated: “There was (a) news report that heavy packages were taken away from the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s cavalcade into another vehicle and sped away in another vehicle in… Karnataka.” The Tribunal has also sought replies from the EC within three weeks.
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