The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday ordered the transfer of several top police and administrative officers, including 25 police commissioners and superintendents of police, nine district magistrates and four secretaries and special secretaries, in the five poll-going states after finding laxity in their work, sources told The Daily Guardian.
Sources said that during a review, the EC found that the performance of some officers was “unsatisfactory” and they were found “complacent, if not complicit” in various matters, including the illegal supply of liquor as a possible poll inducement. During its review meetings in these five states, the poll panel had directed the enforcement agencies and district administrations for an increased vigil and zero tolerance towards the distribution of inducements during the electoral process.
The poll panel also directed the respective state governments to send by Thursday evening a panel of officers to replace those shunted out. The Election Commission has also asked the transferred officials to immediately hand over the charge to their respective immediate juniors. The Assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram will be held between November 7 and 30, and the counting of votes will take place on December 3.