The government’s hearing! Displeasure of the Election Commission as the orders of transfer of officers were not followed!!

MUMBAI: The Election Commission has taken notice of the Maharashtra government for not complying with the order to transfer administrative and police officers who have been in the same place for three years or more. Immediate transfers have been ordered. Also, the Election Commission on Friday directed all the central and state agencies that the assembly elections should be conducted in a free and fair environment. The Commission also expressed strong disapproval of the voter harassment in Mumbai on the day of the Lok Sabha elections.* Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, Election Commissioner Ganesh Kumar and Dr. Senior Election Commission officials along with Sukhbir Singh Sandhu are on a two-day visit to Mumbai. On the first day, apart from getting the views of the political parties, meetings were held with the senior officials of 23 different agencies of the Central and State Governments. Separate meeting of Divisional Commissioner, Collector, Superintendent of Police of Konkan and Pune division was held. The Election Commission, which visited Mumbai to review the election preparations, has reprimanded the state government. The Election Commission had on August 1 directed the state government to immediately transfer the officers who have been in the same position for three years or who are serving in the original district. But the state government has not submitted the implementation report till date regarding the implementation of this order. Despite sending reminders by the commission on 22 August and 11 and 25 September, no response was given by the state government. The Additional Director General of Police submitted a report that the order has been partially implemented. But the Election Commission has pointed out that no response has been given by the Chief Secretary. The Election Commission has also ordered that the order of transfers should be implemented immediately and a compliance report should be submitted immediately in this regard. The order has been given to the Chief Secretary as well as the Director General of Police to explain why the order was not implemented despite sending repeated reminders. According to a source in the ministry, the list of officers completing three years was submitted. But it was said that no response was given from the Chief Minister’s office. There was a similar confusion during the Lok Sabha elections. Finally, after the Election Commission gave a harsh word to the state government, the then Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Chahal and other officials were transferred. No leader should be given a biased measure. It was suggested that everyone should be treated equally. Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut had complained about Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s bags being taken off the helicopter during the Lok Sabha elections. It was also asked to keep a close watch on the movement of cash. Various suggestions were made that the banks should fix the time for withdrawing cash. During the election period, the Commissioner of Excise Department was given an order to restrict the illegal movement of liquor coming from the neighboring states. Also, an order was given to ensure that there is no storage or transportation of narcotics. During the Lok Sabha elections, narcotics worth around five thousand crores were seized. The Chief Election Commissioner warned the central and state agencies that this trend should continue. It was ordered that facilities should be made available to the voters, fans, drinking water should be provided in the polling stations. The Election Commission expressed displeasure that these facilities were not provided to the voters during the Lok Sabha. The Election Commission has warned of taking action against the officials concerned if this confusion occurs during the assembly.