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The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday directed Gujarat Chief Secretary to transfer 51 officials to their respective headquarters (HQs) and report about the compliance by 4 pm tomorrow, sources said. The list of 51 officials includes six senior IPS officers.
The ECI had earlier sought an explanation from the state Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) for failing to file a compliance report on the transfer of officials. Sources told ANI that the poll authority received a compliance report from Gujarat Chief Secretary today and more than 900 officers of various grades and services were transferred as per ECI guidelines and instructions. But ECI has observed that 51 officers are yet to be moved. Sources said ECI has given directions that these remaining officers, including six senior IPS officers, should be asked to report to respective headquarters and compliance be sent by 4 pm tomorrow. Sources told ANI that the six IPS officers are Harshad Patel, DCP, Control Room; Mukesh Patel, DCP, Zone 4; Bhakti Thakar, DCP (Traffic); Premvir Sinh, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), and AG Chauhan, ACP (Traffic). All these five IPS officers are currently posted in Ahmedabad. The sixth one is Rupak Solanki, DCP Crime, is posted in Surat. Earlier on October 21, ECI had written to the Gujarat Chief Secretary and the police chief, over why it has not received compliance reports, regarding the transfer and posting of officials directly connected with the conduct of Assembly elections that is expected to be held in the near future. The Gujarat Chief Secretary submitted a compliance report to ECI on Wednesday. An announcement of poll dates in Gujarat is expected in the coming days. The tenure of the Gujarat Assembly will end on February 23, 2023. A ECI team along with Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer P Bharathi had held a review meeting on election preparedness with district election officers and senior officials last month. (ANI)
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