Kohima, February 24 (MExN): The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the State Governments to ensure that officers who are transferred out of the district after completing 3 years are not posted in another district within the same Parliamentary Constituency.
In a press note, it further asked the States and Union Territories (UTs) to implement transfer policy in both letter and spirit.
The Commission has strengthened its existing transfer policy to ensure that officials are not able to disturb the level playing field in the elections, it said.
The development came after the ECI took serious note of officers being transferred or posted in the adjacent districts within the same Parliamentary Constituency by the state governments, it added.
Plugging the loopholes in the existing instructions, the Commission has directed all States to ensure that officers who are transferred out of the district are not posted within the same Parliamentary Constituency, except for the States/UTs that comprise up to two Parliamentary Constituencies.
The ECI also stressed that the transfer policy of the Commission must be adhered to in both letter and spirit and not just being camouflaged to show compliance.
This rule applies retrospectively to transfers and postings that have already been implemented in accordance with the Commission's prior instructions, it added.
What ECI policy provides
As per the ECI’s policy, all the officers who were either posted in their home district or have completed three years at a place have been directed to be transferred.
This includes officers who are in any way connected to the election work either directly or in supervisory capacity.
It further stipulated that there has been a Zero Tolerance policy of the Commission against disturbing the level playing field in the elections.
It may be recalled that in the recently held 5 state Assembly elections, the Commission ordered transfer of various officials, even senior level police officials in the state(s), the DIPR added.
