Punjab CEO sets deadline for appointing returning officers

The Chief Electoral Officer,Punjab,has asked the state government to appoint all officers by the first week of July who will be working as Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) in the forthcoming Assembly elections. A lot of pre-poll work has to be finished and the same intimated to the Election Commission of India,the government has been told.

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO),Punjab,has asked the state government to appoint all officers by the first week of July who will be working as Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) in the forthcoming Assembly elections. A lot of pre-poll work has to be finished and the same intimated to the Election Commission of India (ECI),the government has been told.

A letter sent recently by Punjab CEO Kushamjit Sidhu to Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) A R Talwar pointed out that the Additional Chief Electoral Officer had already addressed the latter in April this year regarding transfers of the ROs and AROs. The ECI has notified the list of ROs and AROs,several of these posts falling under the FCRs jurisdiction and being vacant at this point of time or occupied by retired officers who have been re-employed on contract. The ECI guidelines stipulate that the ROs and AROs must be in position well before the elections are announced as there is lot of pre-poll activity required to be done.

Similarly the ECI guidelines do not allow persons on contract or re-employed persons to undertake any election related work. Therefore,it is requested that while undertaking transfers as per the state policy in conjunction with the ECI guidelines,care may be taken to ensure all the posts notified as AROs and ROs are filled properly by first week of July so that confirmation of the same be sent to the ECI. This will enable the officers concerned to familiarise themselves with their jurisdictions and make proper preparations for the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha elections,thus ensuring a smooth poll, Sidhus letter says.

Story continues below this ad

It further states that the summary revision of the electoral rolls will take place in October,November and December during which period there will be a ban on transfers by the ECI. As per the last Assembly elections schedule the code of conduct came into effect in December 2006 therefore there will be no time to effect any transfers after the revision.

Sources said there was a shortage of PCS officers in the state against a sanctioned strength of 284 PCS officers,there are only about 150 officers.

The government may also designate officers from various departments such as Excise,I-T,PWD,B&R,Public Health,Revenue as the ROs and AROs to overcome the shortage, said an officer.

We will fill in the RO and ARO posts as per the instructions and time frame issued by the ECI, said a senior official of the Revenue department.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
Election Commission of India