Pune: Chief secretary Nitin Kareer on Saturday said that the state would reassess transfer orders issued to officers who were shifted out of their home districts on completion of three years, as per the ECI guidelines, but posted within the same parliamentary constituencies.
On Saturday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) in a release told states to ensure that officers who are transferred out of a district ahead of polls as part of its policy are not posted in any district within the same parliamentary constituency so that they aren’t able to “disturb the level playing field in the elections”.
The chief secretary told TOI that data of such transfer orders would be available by Monday. While there may be a handful of IAS officers who have been transferred to the same parliamentary constituencies, the number of revenue officials, who have been handed out similar transfers, could be more, Kareer said.
He said that while all officials have been posted out of their home districts, checks would be on for transfers within the same parliamentary constituencies.
As per the ECI policy, all officers who were either posted in their home district or have completed three years at a place are transferred out ahead of Lok Sabha or assembly polls to ensure that they do not disturb the level playing field in favour of a candidate or a party. This includes officers who are in any way connected to the election work either directly or in supervisory capacity. There are 48 parliamentary constituencies in the state of which 16 parliamentary constituencies fall in two districts.
The Nandurbar parliamentary constituency has assembly constituencies in two districts — Nandurbar and Dhule — while Raver parliamentary constituency has assembly constituencies in Jalgaon and Buldhana. The district-wise list of parliamentary constituencies has clearly shown that some districts have constituencies spread out in two or even three districts, a senior revenue official said. “Transfers to outside the home district but in the same parliamentary constituencies will now have to be re-assessed all over again,” a general administration department official at the Mantralaya said.
State chief election officer Shrikant Deshpande said that according to the ECI directions, the chief secretary and the director general of police (DGP) have to submit certificates to ECI to the effect that all transfers in the state have been carried out as per its transfer policy and clarifications issued from time to time. “The deadline set by the ECI is February 26 (Monday). According to the directions of the ECI, any officer who is required to be transferred should be transferred out of the district as well as the concerned parliamentary constituency,” he said.
“Taking serious note of the cases wherein officers are being transferred/posted in the adjacent districts within the same parliamentary constituency by the state governments, the commission has strengthened its existing transfer policy to ensure that officials are not able to disturb the level playing field in the elections,” stated the directive by the ECI to all state chief secretaries.
“Plugging the loopholes in the existing instructions, the commission has directed that, except for the states/UTs that comprise up to two parliamentary constituencies, all states shall ensure that officers who are transferred out of the district are not posted within the same parliamentary constituency,” the ECI release stated.
RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar, who had filed complaints regarding transfer orders of collector and divisional commissioner, said, “This is a positive step, although I am not sure how effectively states will implement it or whether the order will be followed at all. Exceptions are made for officers who are not involved in election-related work, even after serving more than three years in the district. Such officers may remain in the district, provided they are not assigned election-related duties in future.”
On Saturday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) in a release told states to ensure that officers who are transferred out of a district ahead of polls as part of its policy are not posted in any district within the same parliamentary constituency so that they aren’t able to “disturb the level playing field in the elections”.
The chief secretary told TOI that data of such transfer orders would be available by Monday. While there may be a handful of IAS officers who have been transferred to the same parliamentary constituencies, the number of revenue officials, who have been handed out similar transfers, could be more, Kareer said.
He said that while all officials have been posted out of their home districts, checks would be on for transfers within the same parliamentary constituencies.
As per the ECI policy, all officers who were either posted in their home district or have completed three years at a place are transferred out ahead of Lok Sabha or assembly polls to ensure that they do not disturb the level playing field in favour of a candidate or a party. This includes officers who are in any way connected to the election work either directly or in supervisory capacity. There are 48 parliamentary constituencies in the state of which 16 parliamentary constituencies fall in two districts.
The Nandurbar parliamentary constituency has assembly constituencies in two districts — Nandurbar and Dhule — while Raver parliamentary constituency has assembly constituencies in Jalgaon and Buldhana. The district-wise list of parliamentary constituencies has clearly shown that some districts have constituencies spread out in two or even three districts, a senior revenue official said. “Transfers to outside the home district but in the same parliamentary constituencies will now have to be re-assessed all over again,” a general administration department official at the Mantralaya said.
State chief election officer Shrikant Deshpande said that according to the ECI directions, the chief secretary and the director general of police (DGP) have to submit certificates to ECI to the effect that all transfers in the state have been carried out as per its transfer policy and clarifications issued from time to time. “The deadline set by the ECI is February 26 (Monday). According to the directions of the ECI, any officer who is required to be transferred should be transferred out of the district as well as the concerned parliamentary constituency,” he said.
“Taking serious note of the cases wherein officers are being transferred/posted in the adjacent districts within the same parliamentary constituency by the state governments, the commission has strengthened its existing transfer policy to ensure that officials are not able to disturb the level playing field in the elections,” stated the directive by the ECI to all state chief secretaries.
“Plugging the loopholes in the existing instructions, the commission has directed that, except for the states/UTs that comprise up to two parliamentary constituencies, all states shall ensure that officers who are transferred out of the district are not posted within the same parliamentary constituency,” the ECI release stated.
RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar, who had filed complaints regarding transfer orders of collector and divisional commissioner, said, “This is a positive step, although I am not sure how effectively states will implement it or whether the order will be followed at all. Exceptions are made for officers who are not involved in election-related work, even after serving more than three years in the district. Such officers may remain in the district, provided they are not assigned election-related duties in future.”