Election Commission names IAS officer Chockalingam as new chief electoral officer of Maharashtra

Election Commission names IAS officer Chockalingam as new chief electoral officer of Maharashtra

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday appointed senior IAS officer S Chockalingam as the new chief electoral officer (CEO) of Maharashtra.

The ECI announced the appointment in a post on social media platform X. The 1996-batch IAS officer will replace incumbent CEO Shrikant M Deshpande. The poll panel asked Chockalingam to report to the ECI office once he takes charge from Deshpande.

A CEO supervises work related to Assembly/Parliament elections in a state/Union Territory under the overall superintendence, direction and control of the ECI. After the Lok Sabha polls, likely in April-May, Maharashtra will see the Assembly elections in the second half of 2024.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan on Wednesday taunted Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying a cat doesn't become a tiger just by wearing its skin, and challenged his party to win at least one seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also challenged Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar to ensure the victory of his daughter Supriya Sule from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, which she currently represents.

Mahajan was reacting to Thackeray's remark that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting the state frequently as the ruling BJP was scared of losing the upcoming general elections.

PM Modi is scheduled to visit Yavatmal district in Maharashtra this afternoon, where he will inaugurate and dedicate to the nation various development projects during a public programme.

Speaking to Marathi news channel ABP Majha in Yavatmal, Mahajan said, "PM Narendra Modi is not only visiting Maharashtra today, but he is visiting a total of three states in a day. Whatever Uddhav Thackeray has said...only naive people can trust his words. I challenge him that his party wins at least one Lok Sabha seat."

"We have already given a clarion call of winning more than 400 Lok Sabha seats. If a cat wears the skin of a tiger, it does not make her a tiger...I also challenge Sharad Pawar to ensure the victory of his daughter Supriya Sule from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat," the Rural Development Minister said.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in which Sharad Pawar-led NCP and Congress are partners.

The undivided Shiv Sena had won 18 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 elections. Of them, only five members support the Thackeray faction, while 13 others are with the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. (With inputs from PTI)