NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday said that it has decided to keep the transfer/posting of 18 police officers in abeyance till further orders in view of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in poll-bound Assam.
This comes a day after the Assam government ordered the transfer of 12 Indian Police Service (IPS) and 6 Assam Police Service (APS) officers.
“The Commission vide its press note dated 26th February 2021, had announced the schedule of General Elections to Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry. With this announcement, the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect, which includes a total ban on the transfers/postings of all officers connected with the conduct of elections,” the commission said in a statement.
“It has come to the notice of Commission that the Assam government has on February 26 2021, ordered the transfer of 12 IPS and 6 APS officers. The Commission has therefore decided to keep the transfer/posting of these police officers in abeyance till further orders,” it added.
The Assam Assembly elections for 126 seats will be held in three phases starting from March 27.