Odisha Chief Electoral Officer RS Gopalan Seeks VRS Nearly 21 Months Before Retirement, Cites Personal Reasons After SIR Roll Revision
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Electoral Officer RS Gopalan on Thursday said he has sought voluntary retirement (VRS) from government service for personal reasons, nearly 21 months before his scheduled superannuation. Also Watch: Gopalan, a 2001-batch IAS officer, has been serving as Odisha's CEO since July 2024 and also holds the additional charge of Secretary in the Excise Department. He was due to…
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Electoral Officer RS Gopalan has submitted a request for voluntary retirement (VRS) from public service, nearly 21 months before his anticipated retirement. A 2001-batch IAS officer, Gopalan has held the position of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Odisha since July 2024 and also serves as the Secretary in the Excise Department.
He was slated to retire in June 2028. During an interview with PTI, Gopalan revealed that his decision was motivated by personal factors rather than the controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. He expressed his desire to prioritize family matters and remain in Bhubaneswar until his son completes his schooling.
When asked if the decision was influenced by opposition calls for his resignation due to the SIR exercise, Gopalan stated, "Let them be happy if they want. I have completed 25 years of service on September 2, and thus decided to take VRS." He had intended to apply for VRS after the final electoral roll, which was published on September 21, was released, deeming the primary task completed.
The final electoral roll, after incorporating revisions, includes approximately 3.16 crore voters. The SIR process faced criticism from the opposition BJD and Congress parties, who alleged that around 27.50 lakh voters were removed from the rolls and questioned the transparency of the process. The BJD accused the CEO of manipulating voter data.
Gopalan has had a distinguished career, including roles as Deputy Director General at the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), Secretary in the Labour Department, and Director of Agriculture. In recent times, Bhubaneswar Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagmohan Meena, an IPS officer, also resigned from government service, with the Odisha government accepting his resignation on August 27 and forwarding it to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for further action.
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