The Election Commission of India has reportedly shot down the government’s request for permission to transfer 1987-batch IAS officer Ashwani Kumar from the post of Principal Secretary and Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra. The CM-led general administration department had proposed to shift him as an Additional Municipal Commissioner in the Mumbai municipality. But with elections round the corner, the commission has declined it. Speculation is rife that the state’s proposal for transfer was on account of complaints allegedly made by some IAS officers and Kumar’s own staff against his style of functioning.