Bhubaneswar: Ahead of general elections, the Election Commission of India has written to Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers of all states and Union Territories to transfer officers who have been serving in one district for over three years.
Along with Lok Sabha polls, State Assembly polls will be held in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
The panel asked the states to transfer officers directly connected with the conduct of elections and posted in their home districts or places where they have served for over three years during past four years.
“The commission has decided that no officer connected directly with elections shall be allowed to continue in the present district of posting – (i) if she/he is posted in her/his home district, (ii) if she/he has completed three years in that district during last four years or would be completing three years on or before 31 May, 2019,” the EC said.
The commission has also asked the states to ensure that no officer will be posted in the same district or assembly constituency where he/she was posted during the general/ by-polls held prior to May 31, 2017.
Lok Sabha election 2019 and assembly polls in the four states are likely to take place in April and May.