‘Should not reflect bias’: NC MP on J&K Police transfers ahead of polls

NC’s Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi said the ECI “must address” the apprehensions regarding the transfers, which have come after the Model Code of Conduct came into force and the nominations for the first phase have closed. He also claimed that the selective transfer of officers in some districts “gives reason to doubt whether these transfers are being done to benefit certain political parties or proxies”.

On Friday, the EC approved the transfer of Mohammad Zaid as SSP Baramulla, Ghulami Jeelani Wani as SSP Kupwara, Imtiyaz Hussain Mir as SSP Srinagar, and Ifroz Ahmad as SP Handwara. All four officers are from the J&K Police Services.

“After 2019, this is the first election in the process to restore our faith in democracy. We had sought free and fair Assembly elections and a level playing field. The government machinery should not be imbalanced so as to reflect prejudice and bias to benefit any political outfit,” Ruhullah said.

Without naming any parties, the Srinagar MP sought an “explanation” from the EC. He said, “We would like to know what need arose for these transfers to take place at this point. In Baramulla, the SSP was changed only 10 days ago, but he was changed (again). My colleagues have an apprehension that this was perhaps done at the request of a particular political party or to benefit some party. This decision was changed in 10 days. We want to know the intent behind these transfers and we want the EC to explain why the changes were done.”