In a move aimed at ensuring a level playing field in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024, EC in March had issued transfer orders for non-cadre officers holding key positions as District Magistrates (DM) and Superintendents of Police (SP) in four states—Gujarat, Punjab, Odisha, and West Bengal.
The Commission last month emphasized that the posts of DM and SP are typically held by officers from the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service, respectively.
EC had reiterated its dedication to ensuring fairness in the electoral process, a sentiment echoed by CEC Rajiv Kumar.
Recently, the commission had asked 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. By tweaking its policy on transferring officers ahead of elections, the EC had sought to plug loopholes being exploited by state governments.
Andhra Pradesh will undergo state assembly polls from May 13 along with Lok Sabha polls on the same day. The result for the Lok Sabha and the Assembly polls will be announced on June 4.
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