Cops on extension can’t be on poll duty, says ECI

PATIALA: Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) in its directions to all states has cleared that “police officers who are on extension of service or have been re-employed in different capacities will not be associated with election-related work”.

Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 18

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) in its directions to all states has cleared that “police officers who are on extension of service or have been re-employed in different capacities will not be associated with election-related work”.

Further, no officer is to be posted in home districts or places where they have served for a considerably long period.

The ECI letter has been forwarded to all district electoral officers (DEOs). The letter was received by the State Election Commission on January 16. “This means that DGP Suresh Arora, even if he continues to serve till September, will not be handling law and order of the state during the elections,” said a source.

Further, the ECI letter wants police officials who have completed three years in a particular district be shifted.

The ECI has also mentioned that no officer who has a pending criminal case will be deployed for poll duty. Further, officers who are to retire in six months will not be posted out of the home district but will also not be assigned any election-related work.

However, the directions this time again say that “police officials who are posted in functional departments like computerisation, special branch, training etc. are not covered under these instructions”. In 2016, ahead of the Assembly polls, the ruling party, through their handpicked officers, allegedly allowed several SHO and DSP-level officers to continue in their respective areas, but on newly created posts so as to “hoodwink” EC guidelines.

No home district