ECI orders Gujarat government to transfer 51 election officers by 4 pm on Oct 27

ECI had earlier told the Gujarat administration to move all poll officers who had been posted in home districts or were serving in the same district for 3 years

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had earlier ordered the Gujarat administration to move all poll-related officers who had been posted in their home districts or had been serving in the same district for three years but the body noted that 51 officers who met these criteria had not been transferred yet, according to a TOI report. The ECI has now asked the Gujarat chief secretary to immediately transfer those remaining officers, which include six IPS officers, and send a compliance report to it latest by 4 pm on Thursday, the report said.

The ECI did not appreciate the fact that the chief secretary and the police chief had not complied with the directions to transfer the officials that sent on Aug. 1, 2022, with a compliance report required to be sent by Sept. 30. When the report deadline was not met, the ECI sent a reminder to the Gujarat administration on Oct. 19, the publication said.

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The ECI again wrote to the Gujarat chief secretary on Oct. 21 seeking the immediate transfer of the officials as well as a compliance report. The ECI also asked the chief secretary and the police chief to deliver an explanation as to why the report had not been submitted even after the deadline and despite a reminder being sent.

The Gujarat government responded with a transfer of 900 poll officers in the state. However, the ECI then pointed to the 51 that remained who would be required for the conduct of elections in the state and met the transfer criteria.

The six IPS officers set to be transferred are currently posted in Ahmedabad and Surat, the report said.