To ensure fair elections and prevent the exploitation of loopholes, the Election Commission (EC) has instructed states to enforce stricter measures regarding the transfer of officers ahead of polls.
The EC has directed states to prevent officers transferred out of a district from being posted within the same Parliamentary constituency, effectively closing a gap that had been exploited by some State governments.
According to PTI, the move comes after the EC took "serious note" of instances where officers were shuffled to adjacent districts within the same parliamentary constituency, potentially skewing the level playing field.
Under the revised policy, all officers who either hail from their home district or have served three years in a particular location are transferred out ahead of Lok Sabha or assembly polls. This measure aims to prevent any undue advantage for a specific candidate or political party.
"The Commission has strengthened its existing transfer policy to ensure that officials are not able to disturb the level-playing field in the elections," stated the EC in a release today.
The EC emphasized that the directive should be strictly followed by all States and Union Territories, with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar stressing the importance of adherence "in both letter and spirit."
"There has been a zero-tolerance policy of the commission against disturbing the level-playing field in the elections," the EC said.
Notably, during the recent assembly elections in five states, the EC ordered the transfer of various officials, including top police officials, in line with its commitment to fair electoral practices.
Following the EC's latest directive, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner I S Chahal and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Commissioner Vikram Kumar are reportedly set to be transferred.