EC orders transfer of poll officials in Karnataka

Ahead of next year's Legislative Assembly polls in Karnataka, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered for transfer of officers in the state including police directly connected with Elections posted in their home district and also transfer officers who has completed three years in the same district.

In a letter to the Chief Secretary and the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka, the ECI directed that "no officer connected directly with elections shall be allowed to continue in the present district (revenue district) of posting:(i) if she/he is posted in her/his home district and if she/he has completed three years in that district during last four (4) years or would be completing 3 years on or before 31st March, 2023."

The ECI also asked Chief Secretary to submit compliance report of about its order by 31st January, 2023. The term of existing Legislative Assembly of Karnataka will end on May 24, 2023. The polls likely to be held in May.

The Commission has been following a consistent policy that officers directly connected with conduct of elections in an election going State/UT are not posted in their home districts or places where they have served for considerably long period.

While calculating the period of three years, promotion to a post within the district is to be counted, the letter pointed.

These instructions should cover not only officers appointed for specific election duties like DEOs, (District Election Officers) Dy. DEOs, RO/AROs, (Returning Officers) EROs/AEROs( Assistant Electroal Registration Officers), officers appointed as nodal officers of any specific election works but also district officers like ADMs (Additional Deputy Magistrate) SDMs (Sub Divisional Magistrate) Dy. Collector/Joint Collector, Tehsildar, Block Development Officers or any other officer of equal rank directly deployed for election works, the ECI said.

"These instructions shall also be applicable to the police department officers such as Range Inspector General, Deputy Inspector General, Commandants of State Armed Police, Superintendent of Police, Addl. SPs, Sub-Divisional Head of Police, SHOs, Inspectors, Sub-Inspector, Sergeant Majors or equivalent ranks, who are responsible for security arrangement or deployment of police forces in the district at election time," said the Commission.

The letter clarified that the police officials who are posted in functional departments like computerization, special branch, training, etc. are not covered under these instructions.

The Police Sub-Inspectors and above should not be posted in their home district. If a Police Sub-Inspector has completed or would be completing a tenure of 3 years out of four years on or before the cutoff date in a police sub-division, then he should be transferred out to a police sub-division which does not fall in the same AC.

If that is not possible due to small size of district, then he/she should be transferred out of the district.

On categories of Officers not covered under transfer policy, the letter informed, officers/officials who are not directly connected with elections like doctors, engineers, teachers/principals etc. However, if there are specific complaints of political bias or prejudice against any such govt. officer, which on enquiry, are found to be substantiated, then CEO/ECI may order not only the transfer of such enquiry.