EC rap gets Gujarat to transfer 900 officials, but 6 IPS still there

After a rap from the Election Commission, the Gujarat Government has finally transferred over 900 officials ahead of State Assembly polls likely to be announced on November 1 but has stopped short of moving 51 others.

The government is taking time in transferring 51 officers from their current posting including six senior IPS officials placed “at strategic locations” according to the political requirements of the ruling party.

Following these transfers, the poll panel has directed the Chief Secretary to ensure the remaining officers are transferred and report to their headquarters. The EC has sought a compliance report from the State Government forthwith.

The 51 officers, who have still not been transferred, include IPS officers, additional commissioners of police Premvir Sinh (crime branch, Ahmedabad city) and A G Chauhan (traffic, Ahmedabad city), deputy commissioners of police Harshad Patel (Control Room, Ahmedabad city), Mukesh Patel (Zone-IV, Ahmedabad city), Bhakti Thakar (Traffic, Ahmedabad city), and Rupal Solanki (Crime Branch, Surat city).

The Election Commission had last week sought an explanation from the State Chief Secretary and Director-General of Police for the delay in transfers of officials and dispatch of compliance reports.

Secretariat sources said the poll panel took a serious note of the fact that despite repeated reminders, the CS and DGP did not send the compliance reports. The top officials were also asked to submit their reason for this delay.