Election Commission Orders Transfers of Officials in Five States Ahead of 2027 Elections
The Election Commission has mandated transfers of officials in five states, including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, ahead of upcoming elections.
New Delhi, October 27 (Daily Kiran) : The Election Commission of India has issued directives concerning the transfer of government officials and police personnel in five states, including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, in preparation for the upcoming assembly elections set for early 2027. The commission clarified that officials directly involved in the election process should not be stationed in their home districts or in locations where they have served for extended periods.
On Tuesday, the Election Commission sent letters to the Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur, and Uttarakhand regarding these directives. The commission emphasized the strict enforcement of its transfer policies to ensure fairness during the elections. According to the commission, the assembly terms for Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh will end on March 14, March 13, March 16, March 28, and May 22, 2027, respectively.
The transfer policy will also apply to various officials, including Divisional Commissioners, Municipal Commissioners, and officials from the Prohibition and Excise Department, as well as the Transport Department. In the police department, the directives encompass ranks such as Range ADGs, IGs, Additional IGs, Police Commissioners, DIGs, Additional Police Commissioners, Commandants of State Armed Police, SSPs, SPs, Joint Police Commissioners, DCPs, ACPs, Additional SPs, Sub-Divisional Police Chiefs, Inspectors, Reserve Inspectors, and their equivalents.
The commission made it clear that these rules will apply to police officers responsible for security arrangements or deployment of police forces in districts during the elections. The Election Commission instructed relevant officials and state government departments to inform about these directives and ensure strict compliance.
Additionally, the commission stated that District Electoral Officers (DEOs) or relevant district officials must ensure that transferred officials hand over their responsibilities immediately, without waiting for the appointment of new officers.
The Election Commission has mandated that the process of transfers and postings for all officials falling under the new order be completed promptly. Following this, the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP) are required to submit a compliance report to the commission by November 30, detailing the actions taken by the respective departments.
