New Delhi, 21 March 2024: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has recently issued transfer orders affecting non-cadre officers holding crucial leadership positions as District Magistrates (DMs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) across four states: Gujarat, Punjab, Odisha, and West Bengal. These positions are traditionally occupied by officers from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS) respectively.
The transfer orders target specific individuals, including SPs from Chhota Udaipur and Ahmedabad Rural districts in Gujarat, SSPs from Pathankot, Fazilka, Jalandhar Rural, and Malerkotla districts in Punjab, DM of Dhenkanal, and SPs of Deogarh and Cuttack Rural in Odisha, and DMs from Purba Medinipur, Jhargram, Purba Bardhaman, and Birbhum districts of West Bengal.
In addition to these transfers, the Commission has mandated the relocation of SSP Bathinda in Punjab and SP Sonitpur in Assam due to their familial ties or associations with elected political representatives. This move aims to uphold the integrity and impartiality of administrative roles during crucial electoral periods, ensuring that officers in key positions maintain a neutral stance devoid of any potential conflicts of interest.
