As Lok Sabha polls near, EC asks states to shift out officers posted in home districts

New Delhi: Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission has directed the state governments to shift out officers posted in their home states as well as those who have served in a particular place for a ”considerably long period”.

The poll panel in a letter to the chief secretaries of all states pointed out that the term of the present Lok Sabha as well as the state assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh ends on different dates in June next year.

In 2014 as well, the parliamentary polls as well as the assembly elections in four states were held together. The poll panel issues such directions to the states ahead of the Lok Sabha and assembly polls to ensure that officials with political leanings do not interfere with the electoral process and do not disturb the level-playing field.

The letter dated December 21 said that no officer connected directly with the elections will be allowed to continue in the present district of posting if she or he is posted in her or his home district. Also, if the officer has completed three years in a district during the last four years or would be completing three years on or before June 30 next year should be transferred out.

The poll panel said it has ”no intention of massive dislocation of state machinery” by large-scale transfers and made exemption of certain category of officials.

It also asserted that no official against whom a criminal case related to official functioning is pending in any court be associated with election-related duty.