UP polls: Change of guard of top bureaucrats

Lucknow, Feb 22: With the announcement of the seven-phased Uttar Pradesh assembly polls yesterday, the Election Commission(EC) is set to effect some major changes in the bureaucratic and police machinery to ensure free and fair polling in the state.

Earlier, the Chief election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy had hinted during his last visit to UP that the commission might effect some changes in the highest echelons of state officials after declaration of the polls.

Election Commission sources said after the announcement of the poll dates, the process which starts from March 13, there would be ''certain changes'', mostly in the police department.

''EC will swing into action by next week and it is certain that several officers would be transferred to ensure smooth conduct of the polls,'' sources added.

Meanwhile, opposition parties including the BJP and BSP were also demanding change of the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) alleging their ''affiliation'' with the ruling Samajwadi Party.

The EC had already given instructions that no election-related official or police officer of the rank of Sub Inspector and above shall be allowed to continue in his or home town districts. Besides, instructions have also been issued that all the election-related officials, including police officials, who have completed three years in a district during last four years should be transferred out of that district.

However, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav had asserted that only people can decide the fate of any elections and officials, how powerful they maybe, cannot influence the poll.

UP BJP president Keshri Nath Tripathi urged the EC to review all the transfers of police and civil officials made in the recent times by the present government.

Talking to sources, Mr Tripathi alleged that the SP government had made caste-based posting of police officials even at the outpost level to influence the assembly polls.

''It will certainly would be a hard task for the EC to check all the irregualrities done by the present government but for ensuring free and fair polls it has to be rectified,'' he said, adding that there is also a need to change the present Chief Secretary and the DGP to give a clear cut indication to the administration.

BSP general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra also advocated a similar change alleging the present incumbents were working like ''party cadre''.

''Without a change in the post of CS and DGP, EC cannot ensure a free and fair polls in UP even if large contingent of central forces are being deployed,'' he remarked.

He also questioned posting of several low rank police officials in the sensitive pockets by the present regime on the basis of caste and religion.

The Congress, on the other hand, skirted the issue and maintained that it was upto the EC to hold free and fair elections in the state.

''We do not comment on individual bureaucrats...they have to function as per EC orders since the model code of conduct is in force,'' UPCC chief spokesperson Akhilesh Pratap Singh said here.

The seven-phased elections of UP assembly would be held between April 7 and May 8.

UNI

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