EC asks Bihar to begin reshuffle of officials, cops

PATNA: Ahead of Assembly polls, the EC has directed the Bihar government to reshuffle administrative set-up by transferring election related officials who have completed three years in a particular district or will be completing a three-year term on or before October 31.

The directive relates to district election officers/returning officers/assistant returning officers, police officers at the level of IG/ DIGs/ SSPs/SPs and SDPOs and police inspectors/sub-inspectors.

PATNA: Ahead of the Assembly polls, the Election Commission (EC) has directed the Bihar government to reshuffle the administrative set-up by transferring election related officials who have completed three years in a particular district or will be completing a three-year term on or before October 31.

The directive relates to district election officers/returning officers/assistant returning officers, police officers at the level of IG/ DIGs/ SSPs/SPs and SDPOs and police inspectors/sub-inspectors. In the administrative side, ADMs , SDMs, deputy collectors and BDOs are covered.

In a letter to Bihar chief secretary on Tuesday, the EC has said the no official engaged in election work would be posted in their home district. It has also underlined that officials against whom the poll panel has recommended disciplinary action in the past or those who have been charged for any lapse in election related work in the past should be kept away from work in conduct of the polls.

Besides, the officers scheduled to retire in next six months have also been asked to be kept away from election duty.

In light of the letter, sources said, the state government has already initiated the process of identifying such officials.

Amir Subhani, additional chief secretary, general administration department, said, “We have already initiated the process and more transfers will be done in the coming days.”

In the last few days, the government has carried out reshuffling in the education, revenue and transport departments by shifting out district education officers, district transport officers, deputy collector land reforms and district programme officers in various districts. The transfers have been done as a part of the ongoing preparedness of election as also part of routine transfers carried in June every year.