Poll panel removes three officials in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, Oct 24 (IANS) Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N. Gopalaswami Friday night ordered the removal of three Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officials in poll-bound Chhattisgarh. The officials were reportedly in the 'good books' of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Those who faced the axe are Bastar Divisional Commissioner Ganesh Shankar Mishra, Raipur District Collector Sonmoni Borah and Kanker District Collector K.R. Pishda.

The decision came after the CEC presided over a high-level meeting of top officials here along with two Election Commissioners - Navin Chawla and S.Y. Qureshi.

The state goes to the polls Nov 14 and 20 to elect a new 90-member state assembly.