MP govt transfers 100 IAS, IPS officers in bureaucratic reshuffle ahead of LS polls

Bhopal, Mar 16 (PTI) In a major administrative reshuffle before the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government has effected the transfer of 100 officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS).

In an order issued on Friday, the government assigned new postings to 51 IAS and 49 IPS officers and transferred several State Administrative Service (SAS) officers.

As per the order, Shahdol, Guna, Panna and Singrauli districts will get new collectors, and new divisional commissioners have been appointed for Ujjain and Shahdol.

The government has transferred the superintendents of police (SPs) of Niwari, Damoh, Sheopur, Rajgarh, Dindori, Khandwa, Singrauli, Chhatarpur, Khargone and Shivpuri districts, while new civic chiefs have been appointed for Bhopal and Indore, it was stated.

The Opposition Congress, however, cried foul alleging that the exercise was carried out to influence the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Talking to PTI, Bhupendra Gupta, the vice president of the MP Congress media cell, claimed the government had effected around 500 transfers of officials in the last two months.

He alleged that the transfers on Friday were aimed at influencing the upcoming elections.

“These transfers are selections for elections,” Gupta said.

Meanwhile, MP BJP spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi said the transfers were done according to the Election Commission’s guidelines and for the good of the people, and termed the Congress’ accusations as “baseless”.