Kohima, May 19: Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio’s brother is back as deputy commissioner of Kohima after a forced breather.

Zhaleo Rio, an IAS officer, was officially asked to take charge on Monday. Paolal Hansing, who had replaced him before the Lok Sabha poll, was appointed home secretary.

Zhaleo was sent on 30 days’ paid leave after the Election Commission asked the government to appoint a deputy commissioner who would not be accused of being partisan.

The poll panel issued the directive in view of the Congress’ claim that being the chief minister’s sibling, Zhaleo’s presence as deputy commissioner of Kohima could affect the electoral process.

In another transfer, Phek deputy commissioner Shashank Shekhar was appointed director of the department of printing and stationery.

He was in the news for recommending a repoll at three polling stations in the Phek Assembly segment. Not a single vote was cast at any of the three stations during the repoll.

The bureaucrat and his deputy, sub-divisional officer (civil) Anu Agarwal, were accused of favouring the Congress, but both refuted the allegation. Some senior officers intervened to prevent the issue from snowballing into a battle between politicians and bureaucrats.

Agarwal was transferred to the geology and mining department as under-secretary. As many as 18 officers were transferred during the reshuffle.

Martyr’s Day: The 43rd Martyr’s Day, commemorating the death of 11 Bengali protesters here in 1961, was observed today in different parts of south Assam.

The martyrs, including a girl, were killed in police firing when they were demonstrating on a railway track here, demanding granting of official-language status to Bengali in the state.