In the wake of General Elections 2019, Election Commission of India has announced the transfers and postings criteria for Officers and Officials of Punjab Government. These directions have been conveyed to Punjab Govt. to implement till 28th February 2019.Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab Dr. S. Karuna Raju said that Commission has been decided that no officer connected directly with elections shall be allowed to continue in the home district. If he/she has completed three years in respective district during last four years or would be completing 3 years on or before 31st March, 2019 then he/she will not be able to continue with present posting. While implementing these instructions, the concerned departments of the State Govt. should take care that the officials are not posted in their home districts. It shall also be ensured that no DEO/RO/ARO/Police Inspector/Sub-Inspector or above is posted back or allowed to continue in the Assembly Constituency/District where he/she was posted during the General/Bye elections held in the Assembly prior to 31stMay, 2017. If anyone face any difficulty in compliance of the above instructions, then it may refer the specific case with reasons to the Commission through CEO for exemption and the Commission would issue directions, if considered necessary.
Elaborating further, Dr. Raju said that these instructions shall cover not only officers appointed for specific election duties like DEOs, Deputy DEOs, RO/AROs, EROs/AEROs, officers appointed as nodal officers of any specific election works but also district officers like ADMs, SDMs, Deputy Collector/Joint Collector, Tehsildar, Block Development Officers or any other officer of equal rank directly deployed for election works. These instructions shall also be applicable to the police department officers such as Range IGs, DIGs, Commandants of State Armed Police, SSPs, SPs, Addl. SPs, Sub-Divisional Head of Police, SHOs" Inspectors, Sub-Inspector, RIs / Sergeant Majors or equivalent ranks, who are responsible for security arrangements or deployment of police forces in the district at election time.CEO further said that while calculating the period of three years, promotion to a post within the district is to be counted. These instructions do not apply to the officers posted in the State headquarters of the department concerned. It is further directed that the officers/officials against whom the Commission had recommended disciplinary action in past and which is pending or which has resulted in a penalty or the officers who have been charged for any lapse in any election or election related work in the past, shall not be assigned any election related duty. It is further clarified that all the officials of the State (except those posted in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer), who are on extension of service or re-employed in different capacities, will not be associated with any election related work. All election related Officers will be required to give a declaration in the declared format to the DEO concerned that he/she is not a close relative of any of the contesting candidates and no criminal case is pending against me in any court of law.