District officers such as District Election Officers (DEOs), Returning Officers (ROs), Additional District Magistrates (ADMs), Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), Tehsildars and Block Development Officers (BDOs); Divisional and Municipal Commissioners are covered under the order. Police officers from Sub-Inspector up to Range Additional Directors General (ADGs) and Inspectors General (IGs), and excise and transport department officers of Sub-Inspector rank and above are also covered
New Delhi: As part of preparations for upcoming assembly polls in Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday directed the chief secretaries of these states to transfer certain categories of officers connected directly with election work and not to post them in their home districts.
The EC said officers, including police personnel, posted in their home districts, those who have completed three years in a district in the last four years, or will do so by May 31, 2027, in the case of Uttar Pradesh, must be posted out.
District officers such as District Election Officers (DEOs), Returning Officers (ROs), Additional District Magistrates (ADMs), Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), Tehsildars and Block Development Officers (BDOs); Divisional and Municipal Commissioners are covered under the order. Police officers from Sub-Inspector up to Range Additional Directors General (ADGs) and Inspectors General (IGs), and excise and transport department officers of Sub-Inspector rank and above are also covered.
Officers posted at state headquarters are exempted and so are non-election staff such as doctors, engineers and teachers.
“The Commission has been following a consistent policy that officers directly connected with conduct of election in an election going State/UT are not posted in their home districts or places where they have served for a considerably long period. Hence, the Commission has decided that no officer connected directly with election shall be allowed to continue in the present district of posting if she/he has completed three years in that district during last four years or would be completing three years on or before 31 March 2027 for Goa Manipur. Puniab, Uttarakhand and 3l May 2027 for Uttar Pradesh,” the ECI said.
