If code of conduct is implemented without asking… Election Commission bans appointment of army officer in police.

New Delhi: The Election Commission has put on hold the order of the Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir Administration appointing an Army officer as SSP with immediate effect. The Commission says that the state government had appointed an officer named Colonel Vikrant Prashar of the Indian Army’s Para High Altitude Warfare School, Gulmarg, in the Jammu and Kashmir Police on the post of SSP (Training) and Special (Operations). Whereas the Model Code of Conduct of the Election Commission is still in force in the state. In which transfer of officers related to elections has been banned.

Report by 11 am

In this matter, the Commission has ordered the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir to submit the status report in this matter to the Commission by 11 am on October 1. In which a detailed explanation should be given about the logic of issuing the order without taking necessary approval from the Election Commission. The Election Commission, in its order given to the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, has said that the Commission has found that the Model Code of Conduct is in force in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Ban on transfer of officers

Thus, there is a ban on transfer of election related officials. Without going into the arguments at this juncture, the Commission directs that the order be postponed with immediate effect as to the procedure and urgency of appointing an Army officer on the civilian side to the post of SSP during the effectiveness of the Model Code of Conduct. If the order has already been implemented, the situation before issue of the order should be immediately restored.