Mumbai — Just two weeks before the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India has removed state police chief Rashmi Shukla amid allegations from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition that she was favoring the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Shukla, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the 1998 batch and the first woman to hold the position of Maharashtra State Director General of Police (DGP), was dismissed less than a year after her appointment in January 2024, according to government sources. Her removal follows mounting pressure from the Congress party and its allies, who have been vocal about their concerns regarding her impartiality and the need for transparent elections.
In the days leading up to the decision, Congress leaders highlighted the Election Commission’s earlier actions, including the removal of the Jharkhand DGP ahead of that state’s Assembly elections. They questioned why Shukla had not faced similar scrutiny. “When the BJP requested the removal of the DGPs in West Bengal and Jharkhand, they were promptly replaced,” said Nana Patole, president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. “Is there a different law for Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Maharashtra? For a fair and transparent election, Shukla should be immediately removed,” he insisted.
Patole accused Shukla of being a controversial figure who allegedly sided with the BJP, stating that her presence in office cast doubts on the integrity of the upcoming elections. He claimed that Shukla had directed police officials to initiate cases against opposition leaders, alleging harassment, and referenced her previous involvement in the phone tapping of opposition figures.
The MVA coalition’s demand for Shukla’s removal was further echoed by Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, who reiterated the need for an unbiased electoral environment. “We have consistently called for her removal to ensure fair conduct during the elections,” Raut stated.
Patole also revealed that he had previously written to the Election Commission on September 24 and October 4, 2024, requesting Shukla’s dismissal. Additionally, he noted that a Congress delegation had raised the demand during a visit from Election Commission officials to Mumbai on September 27.
Shukla’s tenure as DGP was initially set to last until January 2026, despite her impending retirement in June of this year. Her sudden removal has sparked discussions about the potential implications for the upcoming elections, with both the ruling and opposition parties keenly observing the evolving political landscape in Maharashtra.