Chandigarh, April 2
Political patronage of the ruling Akali-BJP coalition may have influenced the posting of babus in Punjab to “help” their political bosses during the Lok Sabha election. But the Election Commission (EC) of India is now wielding its stick after gathering feedback on their “political affiliations”.

The EC has devised its own system of gathering information on officers posted in Punjab and put on election duty. The commission is relying on inputs provided by the central intelligence agencies and senior IAS officers posted within the EC to keep a close watch and ensure free and fair polls in the state.

Sources told The Tribune that the transfer of three deputy commissioners, one police commissioner and four senior superintendents of police by the EC yesterday, without taking into confidence the officers posted in the state election commission, was done after the EC received feedback on these officers. The feedback is provided by the central agencies as well as senior IAS officers posted in the EC. These IAS officers — mostly from the 1982, 1984 and 1986 batches — are reportedly relying on their batch-mates from the Punjab cadre to gather information regarding the “proximity” enjoyed by any officer (put on election duty) against whom a complaint is received by the EC for trying to help a political party or a candidate in the fray.

A few days ago, the EC had sought the entire list of 22 deputy commissioners and 27 senior superintendents of police posted in Punjab after the state government claimed it had complied with EC directions regarding posting of officers.

A background check on these officers was done and it was found that one of the SSPs transferred yesterday from a district in Malwa was found to have been involved in a case of poppy husk smuggling 20 years ago.

At that time, he was posted as a station house officer and the drug was being smuggled in a truck owned by the officer. Two of the deputy commissioners transferred - Indu Malhotra and Basant Garg - had served in the districts for nine and five years, respectively. Sources said the EC had learnt through its “shadow observers” that another SSP posted in a border district was close to the ruling combine in the state.

As a precautionary measure, the EC is not even seeking a panel from the state government for replacing the officers, say sources.