LS polls: EC adjusts transfer policy for civil servants; Know how this will impact messaging in states
The move comes after the Election Commission took “serious note” of cases of officers being transferred by state governments to neighboring districts within the same parliamentary constituency.
Lok Sabha polls: The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday amended the transfer policy for state officials ahead of the upcoming general elections, directing states to ensure that officials transferred from a district are not posted to a district within the same parliamentary constituency.
The poll panel’s new transfer policy aims to plug the loopholes in the current policy, which are being exploited by state governments. The move comes after the EC took “serious note” of cases of officers being transferred by state governments to neighboring districts within the same parliamentary constituency.
What is the new transfer policy?
As per the EC’s transfer policy, all officials who are posted in their home districts or have served at a particular place for three years are transferred before the Lok Sabha or Assembly elections to ensure that they do not distort the level playing field in favor of any candidate or a party.
“The commission has strengthened its existing transfer policy to ensure that officials cannot disrupt the level playing field in elections,” the poll authority said in an official statement on Saturday.
To plug the loopholes in the existing instructions, the commission has directed that, except states and union territories comprising a maximum of two parliamentary constituencies, all states should ensure that officers transferred out of district are not posted within the same parliamentary constituencies . constituency, the EC statement said.
‘Zero tolerance’ if the policy is ignored
According to the statement, the EC led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has asked states that the policy should be “adhered to in both letter and spirit and not merely camouflaged to show compliance”
There is a zero-tolerance policy by the commission against disrupting the level playing field in elections, she emphasized.
In the recently held assembly elections in five states, the commission had ordered the transfer of several officials, including top police officials.
Following the EC’s directions on the policy, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner IS Chahal and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Commissioner Vikram Kumar will be transferred.
(With PTI inputs)