Election Commission picks Bhawra as nodal officer

CHANDIGARH: 1987-batch IPS officer and Punjab Police ADGP (IT&T) V K Bhawra has been handpicked by the Election Commission (EC) as the nodal officer for the Punjab legislative assembly polls.

Bhawra has been chosen ahead of his batchmate Dinkar Gupta, who is presently ADGP (administration) and 1991-batch IPS officer B K Uppal. He was chosen after the EC sent back the two previous lists, each containing names of three senior cops, to the Punjab home department. Bhawra is a non-controversial officer in Punjab Police and has enjoyed an unblemished record of no political affiliations. He has earlier served the Intelligence Bu reau (IB) du ring a central deputation and has been part of key de partments as intelligence ice. Both the ho in Punjab Police. Both the home department and Punjab Police administration wing work in tandem to prepare the list.

The first list had names of 1988-batch IPS officer Iqbal Preet Sahota and 1987-batch ADGP C S R

Reddy

, along with Bhawra. The second list had names of 1989-batch IPS officer Sanjiv Kalra, Sahota and Reddy . However, the EC had rejected both the lists.

The poll panel has already approved IPS officer

R N Dhoke

for the post of assistant nodal officer.

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