The Election Commission of India has taken a significant step toward ensuring free and fair elections by deploying experienced administrative officers from Gujarat to oversee upcoming assembly polls. In a major administrative move, the commission has selected 35 Gujarat-cadre Indian Administrative Service officers and 10 Indian Police Service officers to serve as election observers for the crucial assembly elections in five states and one union territory.
Officers Deployed Across Multiple States
These carefully chosen officers will be stationed in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and the union territory of Puducherry to monitor the electoral process. Their deployment represents a strategic decision by the Election Commission to utilize experienced officers from Gujarat, a state known for its robust administrative machinery, in ensuring transparent elections across different regions of India.
Comprehensive Training Program
According to government sources familiar with the matter, the training of these selected officials is scheduled to commence in the first week of February. This preparatory phase will equip the officers with the necessary knowledge and protocols to effectively discharge their election monitoring duties. The training program is expected to cover all aspects of election observation, from polling procedures to conflict resolution mechanisms.
Administrative Arrangements Required
While these officers are away on election duty, the Gujarat state government will need to make appropriate arrangements for handling their regular responsibilities. Sources indicate that the state administration will have to organize additional charge arrangements to ensure that the absence of these key officers does not disrupt normal governmental functions in Gujarat.
List of Selected IAS Officers
The Election Commission has chosen a diverse group of IAS officers for this important assignment. The selected officers include:
- Arti Kanwar
- Sandeep Kumar
- Roopwant Singh
- Swaroop P
- Pravin Solanki
- Avantika Singh Aulakh
- Rakesh Shankar
- Raj Kumar Beniwal
- Rajesh Manjhu
- Rajendra Kumar
- Rahul Gupta
- P Bharathi
- Ranjeet Kumar J
- Harshad Patel
- Alok Pandey
- Jenu Devan
- Sandip Sagale
- Dilip Rana
- Ardra Agarwal
- Ranjit Kumar Singh
- Dhaval Patel
- Mahesh Patel
- M Nagarajan
- Praveena D K
- Kuldeep Arya
- Vijay Kharadi
- Ratankanvar Gadhavicharan
- Ajay Prakash
- D D Jadeja
- Amit Arora
- Harshit Gosavi
- Stuti Charan
- Ashish Kumar
- Prabhav Joshi
- Neha Kumari
IPS Officers Assigned Election Duties
In addition to the administrative officers, the Election Commission has also selected ten IPS officers from Gujarat for election monitoring responsibilities. The police officers chosen for this assignment include:
- A G Chauhan
- Bipin Ahire
- P L Mal
- Makrand Chauhan
- Vishal Vaghela
- Deepak Meghani
- Nirlipt Rai
- Chaitanya Mandlik
- Hitesh Joysar
- Mayur Patil
Official Communication Sent
Government sources have confirmed that the Gujarat state administration has formally written to all selected officers, instructing them to report to the Election Commission of India as directed. This official communication marks the beginning of their assignment process and ensures proper coordination between state and central authorities regarding their deployment.
The deployment of these officers reflects the Election Commission's commitment to maintaining electoral integrity through experienced oversight. By selecting officers from Gujarat's administrative cadre, the commission is leveraging their expertise in governance and law enforcement to strengthen the electoral process in states going to polls.
