Bhopal
As the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh draw closer, the opposition Congress party has accused Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of exploiting the state administration for political advantage. The party has also raised concerns about the role of Madhya Pradesh’s Chief Secretary, Iqbal Singh Bains, and his repeated extensions of service. Vivek Tankha, a senior advocate and member of the political affairs committee of the state Congress, expressed the party’s concerns during a press conference. Tankha questioned why Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains, whose service period was supposed to end in November 2022, has been granted extensions. He suggested that Bains’ actions might be influenced by political considerations, given his close association with Chief Minister Chouhan. Tankha referenced a recent observation by the Supreme Court regarding the extension of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) chief’s term. He called on Bains to resign from his post on moral grounds, and warned that if he does not, the party might take legal action to challenge his extension. Tankha also accused Bains of favoring officers who comply with his wrong directions and penalizing those who resist. He urged Bains to remember that he is the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, not just of Chief Minister Shivraj or the BJP. The Congress party’s concerns about Bains and his role as Chief Secretary have been growing over time. Previously, senior Congress MLA Govind Singh, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, had written to the Chief Election Commissioner demanding Bains’ removal from his position. This move reflects the party’s apprehensions about the transparency of the upcoming Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh.
