“ECI reshuffles district administration in five states.”
“The action demonstrates dedication to fairness and integrity of the electoral process,” said the Commission.
“The positions of DM and SP are encadred for officers from the Indian Administrative and Indian Police Service. The Commission’s action reflects dedication to fairness, as reiterated by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.”
“The decision was made after a meeting chaired by CEC Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu. The transferred officers include SPs of Chhota Udaipur and Ahmedabad Rural in Gujarat, SSPs of Pathankot, Fazilka, Jalandhar Rural, and Malerkotla in Punjab, DM of Dhenkanal, and SPs of Deogarh and Cuttack Rural in Odisha, and DM of Purba Medinipur, Jhargram, Purba Bardhaman, and Birbhum districts in West Bengal.”
Furthermore, the Commission has directed the transfer of SSP Bathinda in Punjab and SP Sonitpur in Assam due to their familial association with elected political representatives.
As per the directive, respective state governments are to promptly transfer non-encadred officers from their roles as DM and SP/SSP, effective immediately, and submit a compliance report to the Commission.
In a significant move on March 18, the Election Commission of India (ECI) took decisive steps to uphold the principles of free, fair, and transparent elections. Orders were issued for the removal of Home Secretaries in six states: Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. These actions demonstrate the Commission’s unwavering commitment to ensuring a level playing field and preserving the integrity of the electoral process.
The transfers of officials in key positions such as DMs and SPs/SSPs in several states underscore the ECI’s proactive approach towards maintaining impartiality and transparency. This comes in light of the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024, where the Commission aims to uphold the highest standards of electoral conduct and accountability.