The Election Commission has stalled the appointment of an Army officer as SSP by the Jammu and Kashmir administration and sought an explanation from the Chief Secretary in the matter citing the Model Code of Conduct being in place.
The Chief Secretary has been instructed to submit a compliance report by 11 a.m. on October 1 along with a detailed explanation regarding the rationale for issuing the order without obtaining the required clearance from the poll body.
In a letter to the Chief Secretary, the EC has put in abeyance the order issued by the Jammu and Kashmir administration wherein Colonel Vikrant Prasher of the Indian Army’s Para, High Altitude Warfare School, Gulmarg, was appointed as SSP (Training) and Special (Operations) in Jammu and Kashmir Police, even when there is a ban on transfer of officers connected to elections as the MCC is in force.
“The Commission has observed that the Model Code of Conduct is in force in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and as such there is a ban on transfer of officers connected to election [which] is in force. Without going into the rationale at this stage, process and urgency of posting of an Army officer as SSP in the civil side during the period of operation of MCC, the Commission hereby directs that the order shall be kept in abeyance with immediate effect. If the order has already been implemented, the status quo prior to the issuance of the order must be restored immediately,” the Commission said in its order to the Chief Secretary.
The three-phase Assembly election is being held in Jammu and Kashmir with the third and last phase on October 1. Counting of votes would take place on October 8.
Published – October 01, 2024 02:12 am IST
