GANDHINAGAR: On the orders of the Election Commission, S.K. Saikia, a 1977 batch IPS officer, on Friday took over as Ahmedabad Police Commissioner in the place of J. Mahapatra, who was ordered transferred by the EC.

The name of Mr. Saikia, who was recently promoted Additional Director-General of Police, was cleared by the EC “in consultation” with the new DGP K.R. Kaushik.

Mr. Saikia, who served for a brief period as Home Secretary (law and order), was holding charge of the Police Communication department before the present posting.

G. S. Malik, Kutch Superintendent of Police, has been appointed Deputy Inspector-General (border range). He has replaced I.M. Desai. The EC also cleared the name of the 1996 batch IAS officer, Mamata Verma, for Gandhinagar Collector. She succeeds Sonal Mishra. Ms. Verma was Director of Municipalities and earlier Collector of Broach and Dahod.

The EC has rejected the entire panel of three names recommended by the State government for appointment as Bulsar Collector and asked for new names, it is learnt.

While ordering the transfer of eight officials on October 15, the EC said none of them should be assigned any poll-related work.

Meanwhile, a large number of sadhus and saints connected with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad have decided to oppose Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s candidates for the December Assembly elections.

Speaking on behalf of sadhus, Swami Avichaldasji Maharaj criticised Mr. Modi for using the Hindutva plank for building his “personal image.” Neither Gujarat nor Hindutva would benefit if Mr. Modi remained in power, he said.

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