The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to transfer officers associated with election-related work who are posted in their home districts or have served in the same district for three years or more, ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.
The ECI’s order is likely to set in motion the transfer of officers who fall under the prescribed criteria. The Commission has instructed the state government to ensure that transferred officers are not posted in their home districts. In an earlier order dated October 21, the commission had directed the state government to transfer such officers only after obtaining its permission, in view of the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls for assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, which begins on November 12.
Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer (CEO) Navdeep Rinwa said that the ECI had issued guidelines regarding the transfer and deployment of officials directly involved in election-related work. The Commission has directed strict compliance with these guidelines to ensure fairness, transparency, and impartial role of administrative machinery in the election process, he said.
District election officers (DEOs), returning officers (ROs), assistant returning officers (AROs) and other designated officials cannot be posted back to the constituency or district where they served during the previous assembly election or any by-election held since then.
