Patna: With the Bihar Assembly elections drawing near, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has intensified preparations and issued strict directives to the state administration to ensure a fair and impartial election process. In a key move, the Commission has ordered mandatory transfers of officers and employees involved in election-related work and instructed that the process be completed by October 6.
This directive applies across government departments, indicating that the official election announcement could follow soon after the October 6 deadline.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinod Singh Gunjiyal sent formal letters to the Chief Secretary, DGP, and all Additional Chief Secretaries of various departments, directing that transfer and posting reports be submitted by October 6.
The guidelines specify that no officer or employee will be allowed to remain posted in their home district, and any officer or employee who has completed three years or more in the same district by November 30 will be compulsorily transferred.
The letters extend beyond election-specific personnel to include Block Development Officers (BDOs), Tehsildars, District-level Additional Collectors, Divisional Commissioners, Municipal Commissioners, and other administrative staff.
The order applies equally to the police force, covering officials from the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) level down to Inspectors.
However, personnel engaged in computerization, the special branch, and training have been exempted.
Officers of the Excise and Prohibition Department with over three years at the same posting will also face mandatory transfers.
Election Commission officials emphasised that these transfers aim to eliminate local influence, prevent partisan activities, and boost public confidence in the electoral process.
“Rotating officers and preventing them from serving in their home districts ensures neutrality and reduces the risk of manipulation during polling,” said an election official familiar with the directive.
The timing of the directive suggests that the Assembly election schedule could be announced immediately after the transfer process concludes, setting the stage for a heated political contest in Bihar.
Political analysts note that such measures are critical for levelling the playing field ahead of what is expected to be one of Bihar’s most closely watched elections in recent years.
(IANS)
