The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday directed the governments of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to transfer certain categories of officers connected to election work, marking a procedural step that usually paves the way for assembly elections.
“While calculating the period of three years, promotion to a post within the district is to be counted. In a letter to the chief secretaries and chief electoral officers of the five states, ECI said officers posted in their home districts, those who have completed three years in a district in the last four years, or will do so by May 31, 2027, in the case of Uttar Pradesh, must be transferred. Five years ago, this order was issued on October 13, 2021 and the assembly elections eventually announced on January 8 2022 and conducted between February 10 and March 27.
However, the services rendered (during the last four years) in the ‘state headquarters’, even if located in the same revenue district, may not be accounted for in calculation of three years period in the present district,” the poll panel said. Posts earmarked for cadre officers must be held only by them, and the letter said there could be no exception.
Election preparations and past controversies
Trinamool Congress leaders opposed the move and accused the poll body of acting as an extended arm of the Bharatiya Janata Party. M K Stalin, the then chief minister, condemned the move and alleged partisan bias. The Commission also removed 73 returning officers in the state. More than 50 officers were transferred in Bengal, far more than the reshuffles in other poll-bound states. The Calcutta high court dismissed two petitions challenging the transfers on March 31, and the Supreme Court later rejected another petition. A similar controversy erupted in Tamil Nadu when a fortnight before the April 23 polling date, the commission ordered the transfer of Tamil Nadu’s chief secretary N Muruganandam. Earlier reporting noted: ECI orders transfer of UP officers posted in home districts or same district for 3 years The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to transfer officers associated with election-related work who are posted in their home districts or have served in the same district for three years or more, ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. In an earlier order dated October 21, the commission had directed the state government to transfer such officers only after obtaining its permission, in view of the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls for assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, which begins on November 12.
this exercise became contentious in West Bengal earlier this year when the commission replaced the chief secretary and DGP soon after announcing poll dates Although routine. Earlier reporting noted: The ECI’s order is likely to set in motion the transfer of officers who fall under the prescribed criteria. Earlier reporting noted: The Commission has instructed the state government to ensure that transferred officers are not posted in their home districts. District election officers (DEOs), returning officers (ROs), assistant returning officers (AROs) and other designated officials cannot be posted back to the constituency or district where they served during the previous assembly election or any by-election held since then.
