Is Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar subtly drawing lessons from T N Seshan’s playbook? Kumar has reportedly instructed Bihar’s poll machinery to provide separate enclosures for purdanasheen women voters and to deploy female polling staff to ensure no woman skips the ballot box due to privacy concerns. Seasoned observers recall a similar move in 1994, when the strict martinet that Seshan was ordered to station lady poll officers at booths with predominantly women voters or where the purdah system was in practice. Kumar’s order may lack Seshan-style thunder—no threats of suspension or dramatic sound bites yet—but it signals a hint of that no-nonsense spirit in Nirvachan Sadan again. Whether inspiration or coincidence, one thing’s sure: Seshan’s shadow now looms over the EVM era.
Raj wants its officers back—literally
Rajasthan has made an unprecedented request to the Centre: Send our officers back! The SOS follows an acute shortage of senior bureaucrats. The state government has asked the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to repatriate two of its IAS officers, Rohit Kumar (1997 batch) and Siddharth Mahajan (2003 batch), currently on central deputation. While Delhi encourages states to send more officers for central postings—the Centre’s deputation reserve is reportedly down to 29%—Jaipur appears to have reached its limit. Currently, 23 Rajasthan-cadre officers are serving in Delhi, and one is on inter-cadre deputation. Another officer, P.C. Kishan, has already requested to return for personal reasons. The message from Rajasthan’s bureaucracy is clear: it wants its officers—and influence—back home.
RJD scheme finds its digital voice
From mocking technology to mastering it — the RJD seems to have come full circle. Party supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, famous for once asking, “Ye IT-bite kya hota hai”, might be getting used to his party leading digital campaigns with catchy acronyms. To attract women voters, Tejashwi Yadav has launched the MAA-BETI schemes—MAA stands for Makaan (house), Ann (grains), Aamdani (income), while BETI represents Benefits, Education, Training, Income. The NDA was quick to mock the idea, calling it “lofty words from a party that overlooked mothers and daughters while in power”. Tejashwi has pledged `30,000 a year under this plan, while the NDA highlights that it has already started transferring `10,000 to women’s accounts. Ultimately, Bihar’s Maa, Beti, and Bahus will determine the outcome on counting day.
Cabinet rejig buzz post Bihar polls
As the Bihar Assembly polls enter their final stages, discussions in Delhi are focusing on a possible post-election Cabinet reshuffle. A senior NDA MP believes the process is nearly underway, though no timeline is known yet. If the NDA fares well, at least two Bihar leaders who helped stitch together the alliance and seat-sharing deal are tipped for berths in the Modi Cabinet, possibly as Ministers of State in Education, Rural Development, Tourism, or Civil Aviation. The potential reshuffle window under discussion runs from November 19 to 25, just before the Winter Session opens. “Bihar’s results will decide a lot, from Cabinet composition to alliance dynamics,” said an insider. This winter, Patna’s influence could reach Raisina Hill.
Triple-engine govt, and yet...
A Delhi BJP functionary recently experienced a setback when his compact SUV was stolen from outside his West Delhi residence five months ago. Despite filing FIRs, following up, and leveraging connections, there has been no progress. Adding insult to injury, party colleagues can’t resist needling him: “Triple engine sarkar hai — Centre, State, and MCD -- fir bhi gaadi gayi!” The leader, though visibly irked, insists he has faith that the Delhi Police will solve the case “soon”. Until then, his missing SUV remains the running joke at every party.
