Jharkhand poll panel stays transfer of 15 cops

Arjun Munda, after becoming the eighth chief minister of Jharkhand on November 11, has received a jolt by the orders of the state election commission which stayed the transfer of 15 IPS officers, citing violation of model code of conduct enforced for the ongoing panchayat elections. The polls are being held in five phases.

According to a senior official of the state election commission, before declaring the notification of the transfer null and void, the commission had reviewed all the cases of transferors and found them directly or indirectly involved with the election process.

The state election commission, however, has allowed the reshuffle of a dozen IAS officers provided their transfer is justified with an emergent nature and that too after getting permission from the commission.