EC issues 24-hour ultimatum to relieve officers

The Election Commission has given the State Government a 24-hour ultimatum to relieve all officers who have been transferred but not relieved after completing three to four years in a district.

At a marathon review meeting on poll preparedness with divisional commissioners, district magistrates and superintendents of police here, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami said: “I give you time till 5 pm tomorrow to relieve all officers who have been transferred but not relieved as yet from their present posting.”

The CEC made it clear that there should be no exception and district magistrates (DMs) not following the Election Commission diktat would have to face the music.

In Kosi division, which was taken up first for review, three such officers in Supaul and four in Saharsa, are yet to be relieved. In Madhepura, however, the three officers who were transferred had been relieved, and all except one — the DCLR Udakishunganj, who has to come from Saharsa — have joined.

The CEC also put on notice all outside-the-state officers, who are here on deputation and holding charge as DMs and SPs in districts. Asking all such officers to raise their hands during the meeting, the CEC said: “You are on notice and you have to be impartial (in ensuring conduct of free and fair polls).”

Among the three DMs on deputation to the state are Tripura cadre officer Jitendra Kumar Sinha (Patna), Gaya DM Sanjay Kumar Singh, an Orissa cadre officer, and Dilip Kumar, a Punjab cadre officer, who is the DM of Bettiah. The DMs apart, four SPs are on deputation to the state.

The CEC also asked the DMs and SPs to do ‘vulnerability mapping’ in their districts, and not just identify the vulnerable areas, but also take preventive measures to ensure that no untoward incident happens on the polling day. The CEC said it would deploy micro observers for all vulnerable areas.