ECI orders transfers of top Police officers

Srinagar, Aug 28: In an administrative reshuffle ahead of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission of India (ECI) Wednesday ordered the transfer of several senior Police officers in key districts.

This move is said to be part of a broader strategy to ensure a smooth and impartial electoral process in J&K.

Officials here said that the ECI had directed the immediate transfer of Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) in Baramulla and Kupwara, as well as the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Handwara.

These districts, located in north Kashmir, are critical in the upcoming polls.

The administration has been asked to submit a panel of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to fill these positions by Thursday evening, indicating the urgency of the matter.

This reshuffle comes in the wake of the poll authority’s decision to finally relieve SSP Srinagar, Ashish Kumar Mishra, who was transferred to the Delhi Police in June 2023 but had remained in Srinagar due to administrative delays.

The ECI has now mandated that the Jammu and Kashmir administration expedite the process and propose suitable replacements for the SSPs in Srinagar, Baramulla, Handwara, and Kupwara.

In another development, the ECI has approved the appointment of IPS officer Nalin Prabhat as the Director General (DG) of Operations and Security for Jammu and Kashmir Police until September 30.

Prabhat, currently on inter-cadre deputation, has been serving as the Special DG in J&K.

His extended tenure will see him overseeing critical security operations during the election period, which is expected to be highly sensitive given the region’s history of unrest.

The ECI has also sanctioned a two-year extension for IAS officer Syeed Fakhruddin Hamid, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Anantnag.

Hamid, who completed his tenure on July 8, has been a key administrative figure in one of the most strategically important districts in south Kashmir.

The upcoming assembly elections, set to be conducted in three phases, are the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

These elections are widely seen as a litmus test for the region’s political landscape and the Centre’s efforts to integrate J&K fully with the rest of India.