Election commission asks Punjab to send panel of 60 IPS, IAS officers in two days

THE POLL PANEL DEMANDS NAMES OF OFFICERS WITH PROVEN TRACK RECORD FOR DEPLOYING THEM DURING ELECTIONS

CHANDIGARH: The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday evening put Punjab government on two-day notice, directing it to send names of 40 Indian Police Service (IPS) and 20 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers.

The EC has sought the panel of senior IAS and IPS officers “with proven track record” for deployment as and when required during the conduct of elections early next year.

The moment EC announces the poll schedule, the election code of conduct comes into force and the entire administration comes under the control of the EC which even decides posting and transfers of the state officers.

“The EC wants to have the panel of officers ready in advance,” VK Singh, Punjab chief electoral officer (CEO), confirmed the EC move.

The EC sources say Rakesh Kumar, under secretary-EC, sent a letter to Punjab government, seeking a panel by December 27 of senior officers in the rank of senior superintendent of police (SSP), deputy inspector general (DIG), inspector general (IG) and deputy commissioner (DC).

The EC has directed to send 20 names of SSP-rank officers who are from 2005-2012 IPS batch.

Also, the government will have to send panel of 10 DIGrank officers of the IPS batches between 1999-2004 and 10 names of IGs having seniority between 1993 and 1998 IPS batches.

Sources say the EC has sought panel of 15 DCs from 2005-2009 IAS batches and five names for the panel of divisional commissioners from the IAS seniority ranging between 1993 and 2000 batches.

Meanwhile, the office of the Punjab CEO forwarded the EC letter to government with terse direction: “You are requested to kindly send a panel of names of senior officers immediately as desired by the commission, so that the same is forwarded to the EC well in time.”