Apart from the Home Secretary, the Election Commission has ordered the transfer of nine District Magistrates and seven senior police officials in Bihar.
Bihar home secretary, Amir Subhani was among the many senior officials transferred by the Election Commission ahead of the assembly elections in the state next month. The state chief secretary has been asked to send a compliance report within 24 hours along with the copies of the transfer orders, by the Commission.
Apart from Mr Subhani, nine district magistrates and seven senior police officials, including Superintendent of Police (SP) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) were also transferred. The Commission has asked the state government not to give any election-related posting to these officials.
A 1983 batch Indian Administrative Officer, Sudhir Kumar Rakesh, has been appointed as the new home secretary, and he will also hold additional charge of General Administration Department besides being the home secretary, till the state government posts any other secretary-rank officer to the post.
Mr Subhani "may be given any other assignment/post by the state government, as deem fit," said the Commission.
During the Model Code of Conduct, the Commission has superintendence over the administrative machinery and is free to transfer officers.
District Magistrate of Patna, Pratima Verma and Patna SSP, Vikas Vaibhav, have also been transferred by the Commission.
In a letter addressed to Chief Secretary and Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar, the Commission had made it clear that the transfer-posting order will not apply to Sector Officers, though they are directly involved with the poll process.
Last month, the Commission had ordered transfer of officials connected to the conduct of elections, who are either posted in their home districts or have served in places for long, as part of its procedure to ensure free and fair elections.