Shimla: Two officers of Himachal Pradesh administrative services were on Sunday transferred on the directions of the Election Commission.
The state government transferred Kullu Deputy Commissioner Amitabha Awasthi and replaced him by RN Batta, Director Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, and appointed S Arul as SP, Baddi in place of Gurdev Chand on the directions of the Commission.
There is nothing against these officers and they are being shifted as they have been posted against cadre posts and were not in state IAS and IPS cadre, Chief Secretary S Roy said.
Awasthi was a senior Himachal Administrative Services (HAS) officer Gurdev Chand was from Himachal Police Services (HPS) cadre and both were holding cadre posts.
However, the Commission was lenient in respect of Lahaul and Spiti Deputy Commissioner, SS Guleria, a non-IAS cadre officer in view of "typical and difficult" geographical conditions in the tribal district.
Meanwhile, the Commission has directed all the Deputy Commissioners to not to allot the government rest houses and circuit houses under their charge to any political party or leader, except the leaders under "Z" plus category.
However, the Congress has demanded transfers of Deputy Commissioners and SPs in all twelve districts of the state and alleged that these officers had been "handpicked to bolster the electoral prospects of the ruling BJP."
PTI
