A 1990-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Tamil Nadu cadre C Umashankar has been removed as a general observer of Lok Sabha elections in Sidhi constituency of Madhya Pradesh over complaints of “faith-healing” activities.
Official sources at the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) office in Bhopal, while confirming to The New Indian Express about Umashankar being removed as a poll observer in Sidhi on Sunday, added that he was continuing with faith-healing activities at the place where he was officially staying despite being warned by election authorities against it.
He has been replaced with Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS officer Chandrakar Bharti.
The CEO-MP VL Kantha Rao also confirmed that Umashankar has been removed as poll observer in Sidhi. “A report was sent to the Election Commission of India (ECI) following a complaint against him, after which the ECI has removed him as general poll observer,” said Rao.