Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Election Commission of India orders transfers

Hyderabad: As part of preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed all state governments to transfer officials who have completed three years of service at one place. The Lok Sabha elections are expected to be held in April-May.

The EC held a two-day meeting with Chief Electoral Officers of all states at Delhi and discussed preparedness for the elections. It is expected that the election schedule will be announced in the last week of February. Once the schedule is issued, the code of conduct will come into force and after that the state governments cannot transfer officials. In an emergency, the governments must first secure the ECI’s permission and then transfer officials.

The EC has directed that any officer working in the same place when the last general elections were held should be transferred to another place. The ECI said that IAS and IPS officers, collectors, joint collectors, revenue officers, tahsildars, block development officers and officers from the rank of inspector general of police to sub-inspectors were liable for transfer.

After Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao came to power for the second time, he has not transferred any official. All CMO officials were posted again in the same places. According to sources, there will be no major changes in the state administration except for a few transfers.