Chandigarh, July 16: The Punjab Government today directed that no key officer like District Registration Officers, Booth Level Officers connected with the exercise of revision of electoral rolls would be transferred from their places of postings without prior concurrence of the State Election Commission.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the Department of Personnel Punjab said that the existing provisions of the Representation of People Act, 1950 stipulates, the any officer or staff employed in connection with the preparation, revision and correction of electoral rolls would be deemed to be on deputation to the Election Commission for the period during which they were so employed and such officer and staff during the period be subject to the control, superintendence and discipline of the Election Commission. Therefore, no key officer connected with the exercise of revision of electoral rolls like District Registration Officers, Booth Level Officers would be transferred from their places of postings without prior concurrence of the Election Commission. He emphasized that in case it becomes absolutely necessary to make any transfer of the key election officers connected with the revision of rolls or there was any need for shifting of officers due to their promotions etc., the Election Commission would consider the same on merits on a case to case basis. Any proposal for inevitable transfer would be sent to the Commission giving detailed and full justification for the same. Adding further, he said that all vacant posts related to above exercise would be filled up immediately.
He added that readjustment of constituencies notified by the Delimitation Commission would take effect from 19th February, 2008 and this had necessitated the reconstruction of the electoral rolls for each newly delimitated constituency. Though an annual revision with the same qualifying date had already been ordered by the Election Commission for the purpose, the time schedule for the preparation of photo electoral rolls in the State of Punjab had been fixed from 2-7-2008 to 30-8-2008.
He said that in case it becomes absolutely necessary to make any transfer of the key election officers connected with the revision of rolls or there was any need for shifting of officers due to their promotions etc., the Election Commission may be consulted through the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab.