Chandigarh, Nov 10: The Election Commission has issued fresh guidelines ensuring that retired government officials appointed to state boards, commissions, and administrative posts remain completely neutral during ongoing election processes.
The instructions apply across Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur. Poll authorities highlighted that retired officers re-engaged by state or Union Territory administrations previously operated without clear conduct rules regarding election campaigns, necessitating uniform Model Code restrictions.
The poll panel reiterated that statutory rules already prevent government employees and staff of state-assisted corporations from taking part in political drives. Extending these measures to retired appointees ensures that public authority and institutional influence are not leveraged during the campaign period.
The directive also places a total ban on state governments calling election officers from poll-bound areas for official meetings or video conferences. The Commission called on state Chief Secretaries to disseminate the order immediately and ensure strict compliance across all departments.
