In a bid to maintain a level playing field during the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued transfer orders for the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Sonitpur in Assam. The decision comes in light of the SP's familial ties with elected political representatives, aiming to prevent any perceived bias or compromise in administration.
The ECI has extended this measure to non-cadre officers serving as SPs in four other states as well, including District Magistrates (DM). It's noteworthy that the posts of DM and SP are traditionally reserved for officers from the Indian Administrative and Indian Police Service respectively.
This action underscores the Commission's commitment to fairness and the preservation of electoral integrity, a sentiment echoed by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. The decision was made following a meeting chaired by CEC Rajiv Kumar alongside Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
Apart from the SP of Sonitpur, transfer orders have been issued for SPs of Chhota Udaipur and Ahmedabad Rural districts in Gujarat, as well as SSPs of Pathankot, Fazilka, Bathinda, Jalandhar Rural, and Malerkotla districts in Punjab. Notably, the transfer of the SSP of Bathinda mirrors the rationale behind the action taken in Assam.
Similar directives have been given for officers in Odisha and West Bengal.
State governments have been promptly instructed to implement these transfers and submit compliance reports to the Commission.
Earlier this month, the ECI demonstrated its commitment to free, fair, and transparent elections by ordering the removal of Home Secretaries in six states, namely Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
