Subsequent to the announcement of the dates for the Lok Sabha Elections beginning from 19 April, the Election Commission of India has removed the Home Secretaries of Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

The ECI has also issued instructions to the Chief Secretary of West Bengal to shift Rajeev Kumar, the Director General & Inspector General of Police, West Bengal, to a non-election related post with immediate effect.

Sources say that the changes have been done to "maintain integrity of the polling process" and "ensure level playing field" for all stakeholders, as stated by the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar. 

The Secretaries of General Administrative Department in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh have also been removed. Officers related to election work, who have completed three or more years in that post or are in their home districts, have also been transferred.