Why Odisha chief electoral officer's voluntary retirement plan after SIR raises eyebrows

Odisha chief electoral officer R.S. Gopalan has sought voluntary retirement from service (VRS) nearly 21 months before his scheduled superannuation, saying he wants to focus on family and personal matters.

A 2001 batch IAS officer, Gopalan has been serving on the post since July 2024, his tenure covering the crucial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. He also holds the additional charge of secretary in the excise department.

Gopalan, who is scheduled to retire in June 2028, said his decision to seek voluntary retirement was in no way connected to the SIR controversy in the state. "I wanted to take VRS for personal reasons. I would like to focus on personal matters. I will concentrate on my family and stay put in Bhubaneswar until my son's school education is complete," he said.

The decision, however, comes shortly after the completion of SIR, which invited criticism from the Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress over alleged deletions from the voter rolls.

Asked whether he was seeking VRS in response to the Opposition's demands for his resignation, Gopalan said: "Let them be happy if they want. I have completed 25 years in government service on September 2 and, therefore, decided to take VRS."

Gopalan said he had intended to apply for voluntary retirement after the publication of the final electoral rolls, and felt the "major task" had been completed following its release on September 21.

The post-SIR electoral rolls in Odisha contain around 31.6 million voters.

The Opposition had alleged large-scale exclusion of voters during the revision process. The BJD claimed more than 2.75 million voters were excluded and accused the election machinery of concealing the figures. The party also alleged that the chief electoral officer had "manipulated" voter data.

Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das, reacting to Gopalan's decision, posted on X: "Just after completion of the SIR process, Odisha's chief electoral officer has applied for voluntary retirement. How strange is this."

Gopalan has held various key positions in his administrative career, including of deputy director general at the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), secretary in the labour department and as director of agriculture.

His VRS move comes soon after another senior Odisha official opted to leave service. Bhubaneswar deputy commissioner of police Jagmohan Meena, an IPS officer, resigned earlier this month. The BJP government accepted Meena's resignation on August 27 and forwarded it to the Union ministry of home affairs, which accepted it effective September 11.