ECI directs transfer of Assam CM's brother SP Susanta Biswa Sarma ahead of LS polls

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued transfer orders for non-cadre officers serving as District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) in Gujarat, Punjab, Odisha, and West Bengal as part of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

These positions are typically filled by officers from the Indian Administrative and Indian Police Service. The ECI stated that this move is a testament to its commitment to maintaining fairness and upholding the integrity of the electoral process, a sentiment echoed by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.

A decision has been made to transfer several officers following a meeting convened by the Commission, headed by CEC Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.

The officers set for transfer include 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, along with DM of Purba Medinipur, Jhargram, Purba Bardhaman and Birbhum districts of West Bengal, will also be transferred.

In addition, SSP Bathinda in Punjab and SP Sonitpur in Assam are to be transferred due to their familial ties with elected political representatives, as a preventive measure to eliminate any potential bias or compromise in administration.

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