UP polls: Election Commission transfers 13 DMs, 9 SSPs

NEW DELHI: Cracking its whip, the Election Commission today ordered the transfer of 13 District Magistrates and 9 SSPs, including those of Lucknow and Amethi.

The Commission has power to remove officials during the operation of model code conduct period to ensure free and fair elections.

Uttar Pradesh will have a seven-phase Assembly polls beginning February 11.

Those transferred include DMs of Lucknow and Amethi and Senior Superintendent of Police of Rae Bareli and Amethi.

In a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, the Commission said the officials "shall immediately be transferred."

The district magistrates are also the district election officers during Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.

The DMs of Aligarh, Etah, Bereilly, Amroha, Amethi, Shahjahanpur, Barabanki, Lucknow, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Fatehpur, Siddarthnagar and Basti have been ordered to be transferred.

The SSPs of Barabanki, Moradabad, Rae Bareli, Rampur, Etah, Saharanpur, Hamirpur, Amethi and Azamgarh have been ordered to be transferred.