In a bid to ensure a free and fair electoral process, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a comprehensive set of directives regarding the transfer of government officials in poll-bound states. The Commission has made it mandatory to move officers who are directly involved in election management if they are posted in their home districts or have overstayed their tenure.

As per the new guidelines, any officer who has completed three years in a particular district during the last four years must be transferred immediately. This rule applies to key administrative and police positions, including District Magistrates (DM), Superintendents of Police (SP), Returning Officers, and even Inspectors or Sub-Inspectors in charge of police stations. The ECI has set a strict deadline for the state governments to complete this reshuffle and submit a compliance report. The move is aimed at preventing any local influence or bias that could hamper the democratic process. Furthermore, officials with past records of disciplinary actions during elections are to be kept away from election-related duties entirely.