Ban on transfer of officials engaged in revision of electoral rolls: ECI

Wednesday, 06/01/2016

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=148097&boxid=57918&uid=&dat=2016-01-06

Chandigarh : The Election Commission of India has put a ban on transfer of officials engaged Special Summary Revision of the electoral rolls in the state. The ECI has directed the state government to seek clearance for transfers and postings of such officials, if necessary, from ECI.

In a detailed communiqué Election Commission India has directed that no officcer/staff who is directly/indirectly involved in the the exercise of revision of electoral rolls should be transferred from his place of posting without the Commission’s prior approval.

“The Commission reiterates its existing direction that no officials connected with the exercise of revision of electoral rolls like the District Election Officer, Deputy District Election Officers, the Electoral Registration Officers and the Assistant Electoral Registration Officers etc. should be transferred from their place of posting without the prior concurrence of the Election Commission, right from the commencement of the work till its completion,” the communiqué reads.

“In the implementation of these directions , wherever any officer needs to be posted in place of an officer who is to be transferred, the Commission/ Chief Electoral Officer shall be invariably consulted while posting the substitute officer,” the letter states.

According to the ECI letter, the transfer of officials engaged in roll-revision adversely affects the work.

The ECI has asked the state government to submit the proposal of any unavoidable transfer to it with full justification.

“In case it becomes absolutely necessary to transfer any of the election officers connected with the revision of the rolls, the Election Commission would consider the same on merits, on case to case basis. Any proposal for unavoidable transfer may be sent to us giving detailed and full justification for the proposed transfer,” the communiqué reads.

Any officer or staff employed in connection with the preparation, revision and correction of the electoral rolls shall be deemed to be on deputation to the Election Commission for the period during which they are so employed and such officer and staff during the period be subject to the control, superintendence and discipline of the Election Commission.

However, according to the ECI, transfers arising out of regular promotions of probationers (All India Services and States Civil Services) have been kept out of the ban.