The Election Commission of India has directed the transfer of nine District Magistrates, along with 25 senior police officials, including Commissioners of Police, Superintendents of Police (SPs), additional SPs, and four Secretaries and Special Secretaries across five states where elections are due.
This decision follows the recent announcement of election schedules in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Mizoram, and Rajasthan.
Their transfers were reported to have been prompted by concerns regarding “unsatisfactory performance” among the officials. The Election Commission has issued instructions for the immediate handover of responsibilities to their respective juniors, with a deadline set for 5 PM on October 12.
The Commission has also made it clear that there will be zero tolerance for any form of “partisan behaviour” exhibited by officials.
A source stated, “The Commission during the review meetings, found that the performance of some officers was unsatisfactory and were found complacent, if not complicit. The Commission has ordered the transfer of nine DEOs or DMs and 25 Commissioner of Police, SPs, Additional SPs in these five polls going states.”
Among those transferred are the Commissioners of Police in Telangana, specifically Warangal, Hyderabad, and Nizamabad. The Election Commission has also directed the transfer of non-cadre SPs in Telangana, along with the Secretaries of Transport, Director of Prohibition and Excise, and Commissioner of Commercial Tax, from their current positions.
In Rajasthan, the SPs of Hanumangarh, Churu, and Bhiwadi have been ordered to be transferred. Furthermore, the Special Secretary of the Food Civil and Supplies Department in Chhattisgarh has been removed from their present post.
During extensive reviews conducted in the five poll-bound states, the Election Commission issued firm directives to all enforcement agencies and district administrations to enhance vigilance and maintain zero tolerance towards the distribution of incentives during the electoral process.
CEC Rajiv Kumar stated the Commission’s priorities during press interactions, stating that they are committed to curbing the movement and distribution of liquor, cash, drugs, and freebies for a free and fair election.
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The Commission conducted thorough assessments of sensitive routes and zones for the illegal transportation of these items and directed enforcement agencies to operate in a coordinated manner with joint operations. The Commission has also mandated strict surveillance at inter-state border check posts to prevent the inflow of cash, liquor, freebies, and drugs through the 940 border check posts in these five states.
The list of officials subject to transfer includes DMs who also serve as District Election officers in various districts of Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. In Chhattisgarh, DEOs from Raigarh and Bilaspur have been transferred.
Sources reveal that the transferred officials include ten non-cadre SPs from Telangana, three Commissioners of Police from Telangana, two from Madhya Pradesh, three SPs from Chhattisgarh, two additional SPs from Chhattisgarh, two from Mizoram, and three from Rajasthan.
It was noted that illegal liquor from Haryana and Punjab was sneaked into Rajasthan through districts like Hanumangarh, Churu, Jhunjhunu, and Alwar, reaching hinterland districts and even neighbouring Gujarat. In response, the SPs of Hanumangarh, Churu, and Bhiwadi, along with the DEO of Alwar, have been transferred to Rajasthan.
In Telangana, the Commission identified that several non-cadre officers were handling district responsibilities, while officers from administrative and police services were assigned non-significant posts. Consequently, the Commission ordered the transfer of 13 SPs and CPs to the state.
There have been numerous complaints regarding the misuse of money power in the recent bye-election in the Munugode assembly seat, prompting the Commission’s intervention.
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This led to the transfer of the Secretary of Transport, the Director of Prohibition and Excise, and the Commissioner of Commercial Tax to Telangana. The Telangana government was directed to appoint a separate principal secretary for the Excise and Commercial Tax Department.
Given Mizoram’s proximity to the “golden triangle,” which makes it vulnerable to drug and arms trafficking, agencies such as the BSF and Assam Rifles have been instructed to maintain strict vigilance along the international borders.
In Rajasthan, districts like Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner, and Sriganaganagar share international borders and are vulnerable to narcotics smuggling.
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The Election Commission’s commitment to “inducement-free” elections has already yielded significant results in previous state assembly elections. In the last six elections in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, and Karnataka, seizures worth over ₹1400 crore were made, marking a substantial increase from previous elections in these states.
CEC Kumar affirmed that the Commission’s efforts to ensure inducement-free elections will continue in these five poll-bound states, as announced in the election schedule.
To enhance transparency and coordination, the Commission has introduced a tech-based platform, the Integrated Election Seizure Management System, which will provide real-time updates on seizures by enforcement agencies.
This platform will facilitate coordination and intelligence sharing among different agencies and help in assessing trends and identifying specific routes and methods used for the illicit trafficking of cash, liquor, drugs, and freebies.
(With inputs from ANI)