Why SC upheld ECI officer transfers in West Bengal polls case
The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the challenge to the Calcutta High Court order upholding the Election Commission of India (ECI)’s decision to transfer bureaucrats and police officers in the state in the run-up to the West Bengal Assembly polls. The apex court said it was “compelled” to depute judicial officers for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise because of the trust deficit existing between the poll body and the state government. Presiding over a three-judge bench, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant also flagged the lack of independence in the bureaucracy and said officials “surrender” for “plum postings”, frustrating the very object of creation of All India Services. “Unfortunately, this is the misfortune of the country, that the very object of creation of All India Services is getting frustrated. Officers are also only for the sake of plum postings, for all personal benefits, they go, and they surrender completely only to secure transfer, postings, etc, to better places. This is how the impression sometimes is created in the minds of the general public that we …
