Retirement-bound officials exempted from transfer

Kolkata, Feb 23 (UNI) The Election Commission has exempted Government and police officials who are on the verge of retirement from transfer before the coming assembly elections but barred them from poll duty.

'' The EC has agreed to exempt those who are due to retire in the next six months, from being transferred. However, they cannot be assigned for any election-related duty,'' Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Debasish Sen today said.

Under existing EC directive, Government and police officials, who have been in the same place of posting for more than three years, are liable to be transferred for the sake of free and fair elections.

Altogether 72 Government officials ranging from District Magistrates and Block Development Officers and 1600 police officials, including Superintendents of Police, have recently been transferred in the state on the basis of the EC guideline.

Mr Sen said the issue of execution of Non-bailable warrants was being closely monitored by the EC. ''We hope that the progress will reach a better level in near future,'' he said.

In reply to a question, Mr Sen said those having NBW against their names were free to cast votes if their names figured in the voters list.

Under the EC directive, names of those facing NBW for more than six months would be struck off the electoral rolls in case they failed to surrender before the court. While there are altogether 72,000 such people in the state, the rate of execution has so far been barely 20 per cent.

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