GUWAHATI: Before elections, many bureaucrats are transferred in every state but this time it seems the Assam government is a bit late as some departments of the state are questioned by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for announcing transfers of bureaucrats after the model code of conduct was announced on February 26, Friday.
The ECI had announced the polling dates of the upcoming assembly elections and on the same day, the model code of conduct was enforced. The transfer list of 16 APS and IAS officers were circulated the same day by the home department of Assam government.
Similarly, transfer orders for around 51 Assam Civil Services (ACS) officers were also issued to the officers. The question remains - will they join?
According to the law, after the MCC is declared no such transfers are allowed and transferring the bureaucrats is violation of the model code of conduct.
A top bureaucrat in Dispur involved with the election process talking to G Plus in condition of anonymity said, “If they (the transferred officers) join, it would be a total violation of model code of conduct and none of them could join before the election process is over.”
On enquiring whether transferring of bureaucrats is a violation, the officer said that depends on whether it is done knowingly or unknowingly.
But again such important decision-makers are not expected to be ignorant.
Meanwhile, the ECI has written to the chief electoral officer of Dispur to keep the transfer order on abeyance.
The bureaucrats issued with the transfer orders are confused if they should join their new postings or not. The government is yet to make the stance clear.