ECI Objects to Transfer of Three IAS Officers Associated With SIR, Directs Rollback

MP, KOLKATA, JAN 28, 2026 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday wrote to the State Chief Secretary objecting to the transfer of three senior IAS officers linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process without its consent.

The Commission directed that the transfer orders be withdrawn immediately and a compliance report submitted by 3 pm on January 28.

The letter from the Commission reiterated that its main objective has been to maintain administrative neutrality in the sensitive process of revising the voter list before the elections.

In this backdrop, it had previously made clear that no official involved in this work could be transferred without the Commission’s permission during the SIR process.

The poll body has alleged that its instruction has been virtually disregarded.

The Election Commission’s letter states that, according to the instructions issued on October 27, 2025, no relevant official can be transferred without the prior permission of the Commission during the SIR process of the voter list.

The responsibility for implementing this instruction rested with the Chief Secretary of the state.

The Commission has pointed out that on November 28, 2025, 12 Electoral Roll Observers, along with five Divisional Commissioners, were appointed.

“These officers are on deemed deputation to the Election Commission of India for the purpose of SIR,” the letter states.

It has come to the notice of the poll body that the Bengal government issued notifications on December 1, 2025, January 20, 2026, and January 21, 2026, respectively, effecting departmental transfers or postings of Ashwini Kumar Yadav, Electoral Roll Observer for North and South Dinajpur, Randhir Kumar of North 24-Parganas and Kolkata North, and Smita Pandey for West Burdwan, East Burdwan and Birbhum.

The letter also stated: “...the transfers of these officers have been ordered without prior concurrence of the Election Commission, which is violative of the Commission’s instructions dated 27.10.2025….”