NEW DELHI: Ordering routine curbs on postings and transfers ahead of assembly polls in four states and a UT, Election Commission on Tuesday asked their chief secretaries to shift all poll-related officers posted in their home districts or completing three out of four years in their present district on or before May 31 (In case of Puducherry, the deadline is June 30).Also, officers at the level of district election officer, returning officer, assistant returning officer or police inspector/sub-inspector and above shall not be allowed to continue or be posted in the same assembly constituency or district where they were in the last assembly poll or any subsequent bypoll, said EC.Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry are due for assembly polls in April-May.EC made it clear that the transfer orders in respect of officers engaged in SIR work shall be issued and implemented only after final publication of the electoral rolls, in consultation with the chief electoral officer.In a letter to the chief secretaries, EC said officers against whom it had recommended disciplinary action, those charged with any poll-related lapse, and ones against whom a criminal case related to official functioning was pending would not be assigned any election-related duty. EC allowed cases where its instructions could not be complied with to be referred to it for exemption, through the CEO.The transfers policy shall also be applicable to officers of the prohibition and excise departments.
