Several officials transferred in J-K ahead of poll announcement

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has transferred several officials, including deputy commissioners, a couple of weeks after the Election Commission directed the poll-bound states to transfer out officers posted in their home districts.

The Election Commission will announce the schedule for assembly elections on Friday afternoon. However, it is still not clear for which states the election schedule will be announced.

The poll panel plans to hold assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir before September 30, the deadline set by the Supreme Court.

Late on Thursday night, the general administration department of Jammu and Kashmir issued orders for 89 transfers and posting with immediate effect.

The transfers include those of deputy commissioners of Poonch and Bandipora districts, secretaries, commissioners, director generals, managing directors, and directors of several departments.

The Election Commission of India on July 31 asked the Union Territory administration to transfer out officers posted in their home districts, an exercise it holds ahead of conducting elections.

It has been following a consistent policy that officers directly connected with the conduct of elections in a poll-bound state or Union Territory are not posted in their home districts or places where they have served for a considerably long period.

The poll panel had issued similar directions to the chief secretaries of the poll-bound states of Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand. The terms of the legislative assemblies of Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand end on November 3, November 26 and January 5, respectively.

After wrapping its two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to review the Union Territory's poll preparedness, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on August 9 said no internal or external forces would be allowed to disrupt the assembly elections which would be held "at the earliest".

The visit of the full commission was the first major exercise for preparing the grounds for holding the maiden assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir after it was downgraded to a Union Territory on August 5, 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.