Tamil Nadu   

EC wants transfer fiat adhered to before polls

Special Correspondent

Departments concerned have initiated the process: Naresh Gupta

CHENNAI: Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta on Friday said that the Election Commission (EC) wanted to see that its instructions on transfer of officials connected with the election work were complied with before the announcement of polls.

He told reporters here that the Chief Election Commissioner, during his recent visit to the State, had emphasised that poll officials should maintain absolute neutrality and impartiality in the conduct of elections.

Before elections, it was a practice to bring to the notice of Government officials the provision of the Government Servants' Conduct Rules, which enjoined upon them to maintain political neutrality and desist from associating themselves with any political movement or activity.

Replying to queries on "pro-ruling party speeches" reportedly made by some functionaries of the Government Employees' Organisation at a meet held in Chennai on Wednesday last, Mr. Gupta said, "We have to get the authentic text of what they have said."

Consistent with the poll panel's policy of ensuring free and fair polls, officers who were connected directly or indirectly with elections would not be allowed to continue in the present district of posting if they were posted in their home districts or had completed three years there. Tahsildars and Block Development Officers would not be allowed to continue in home Assembly segments.

The Commission had directed that they should be transferred out of the taluks or blocks if they had completed tenure of three years during the last four years. It had also been indicated that officers against whom the EC had recommended disciplinary action, or who had been transferred under its orders previously, should not be assigned any election related duties.

With regard to police officers, the Commission's instructions would cover those who were, at present, posted in field and police lines.

The departments concerned had already initiated the process of complying with the EC's instructions, he said.

Asked if the State Government could continue with distribution of assistance to the tsunami victims, Mr. Gupta said though certain restrictions were imposed as per the Model Code of Conduct after the announcement of elections, relief measures in the tsunami-hit areas had to be treated on a different footing.

Electors' cards

Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami, during his proposed visit to the State on February 23 and 24 would see if the online issuance of the Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) to residual electors at the designated photography locations (DPL) was on track.

The coverage at the DPLs would be preceded by distribution of request form for production of EPIC door-to-door indicating the place and date of coverage.

Rectification of errors in EPIC free of charge and issuance of duplicate cards for lost or displaced original cards on payment of Rs.15 per card would be done at the `link centres' to be established one per constituency in the second week of March.

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