Indian Administrative Service official AK Rakesh was on Monday appointed as additional chief secretary of the home department in Gujarat following an order of the Election Commission of India.

Earlier in the day, seeking to ensure a level-playing field in the Lok Sabha elections, the ECI ordered the removal of the home secretaries of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Rakesh, a 1989 batch IAS official, will replace Pankaj Joshi, as per a Gujarat government order.

"AK Rakesh, Additional Chief Secretary to Government Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Co-operation Department, Sachivalaya, Gandhinagar would hold the additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home Department, Sachivalaya, Gandhinagar until further orders relieving Pankaj Joshi, IAS of additional charge of the post," the state government order said.

The ECI order had noted that the home secretaries of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were removed as they were found to be holding dual charges in the offices of the chief minister in the respective states.

In its order, the ECI had noted this may potentially compromise or be seen to be compromising the impartiality and neutrality required during the electoral process, especially in matters relating to law and order and deployment of forces Joshi, posted as Additional Chief Secretary in the chief minister's office (CMO) was given additional charge as ACS (Home) on February 1 this year following the retirement of Mukesh Puri on January 31.

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