New Delhi, Feb 10 (UNI) In a major administrative move aimed at ensuring free and fair Assembly elections in 2026, the Election Commission of India has directed the transfer of officers directly connected with election duties in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the union Territory of Puducherry if they are posted in their home districts or have completed long tenures in the same district.
The instructions, issued to the Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of the five States and the UT, come as the terms of the current Legislative Assemblies are set to expire between May and June 2026. The ECI has asked State governments to complete the transfers and submit compliance reports by February 28.
“The Commission has been following a consistent policy that officers directly connected with the conduct of elections should not be posted in their home districts or in places where they have served for a considerably long period,” the ECI said in its directive.
According to the Commission, no officer directly associated with election work will be allowed to continue in a district if, one, they are posted in their home district, or, two, have completed, or will complete, three years in that district during the last four years on or before the prescribed cut-off dates.
The cut-off date has been fixed as May 31, 2026 for Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, and June 30, 2026 for Puducherry.
The transfer policy applies to a wide range of officials, including District Election Officers (DEOs), Returning Officers (ROs), Assistant Returning Officers (AROs), electoral registration officers, district magistrates, sub-divisional officers, tehsildars and block development officers deployed for election duties.
The Commission has also brought senior and field-level police officers under the ambit of the policy. This includes ADGs, IGs, DIGs, SSPs, SPs, Additional SPs, inspectors and sub-inspectors involved in election security and deployment.
“Police sub-inspectors completing three years in a police sub-division will have to be shifted to another sub-division outside the same Assembly constituency, or out of the district if required,” the order said.
Officers of the Prohibition and Excise Department of the rank of sub-inspector and above will also be subject to the transfer rules.
The ECI clarified that the policy is not intended to cause “massive dislocation of State machinery” and has therefore exempted several categories, including officers posted at State headquarters, doctors, engineers, teachers and others not directly connected with elections.
However, the Commission warned that officials against whom substantiated complaints of political bias exist, or those facing criminal cases related to official functioning, will not be allowed to perform election-related duties.
Officials due to retire before the cut-off dates will also be exempted from transfer, and will not be assigned election duties if they hold sensitive posts.
All election-related officers will be required to submit a declaration stating that they are not close relatives of contesting candidates or leading political functionaries, and that no criminal case is pending against them. Any false declaration will invite disciplinary action, the Commission cautioned.
An ECI official said the measures are aimed at “strengthening neutrality and public confidence in the electoral process at the field level.”
State governments have been directed to issue and implement transfer orders promptly and ensure that officers hand over charge immediately. Copies of all transfer orders must be shared with the respective Chief Electoral Officers.
The Commission has underlined that “strict compliance” is expected and that any difficulty in implementation must be referred to it through the CEO for specific exemption.
The Assembly terms of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal expire between May 7 and May 23, 2026, while Puducherry’s term ends in June 2026, setting the stage for a high-stakes round of elections later this year. UNI SKA KK