Ahead of Maharashtra Elections 2024, 263 police officers transferred

The reshuffle primarily affects officers in Mumbai. Representation Pic

In a significant move just weeks before the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Maharashtra director general of police (DGP) has ordered the transfer of 263 officers at the police inspector (PI) and senior police inspector (Sr PI) ranks, with 161 of these transfers taking place in Mumbai.

The reshuffle primarily affects officers in Mumbai, with additional transfers impacting the Navi Mumbai and Mira-Bhayander Vasai-Virar (MBVV) Commissionerates. The transfer orders, issued by the DGP's office, follow strict Election Commission (EC) guidelines mandating the reassignment of officers who have served more than three years in a particular city.

Historically, during previous elections, Mumbai was treated as three separate districts for administrative purposes, allowing officers to be transferred within the city. However, this time, the EC has classified Mumbai as a single commissionerate, prompting the transfer of over 150 police inspectors who have completed the required tenure in the city.

The Mumbai Police had requested that the EC and DGP consider the same guidelines followed during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, arguing that the large number of newly assigned officers could face challenges adapting to Mumbai's unique social and geographical dynamics. Despite the request, the EC upheld its stringent guidelines, insisting on the transfer of officers who have completed three years in any district within the last four years, or those serving in their home districts.

The Mumbai Police, in a letter to the DGP office in September, raised concerns over staffing shortages, stating that as of September 27, there were already 213 vacancies at the PI level in Mumbai. The department noted that 50 officers previously transferred to Mumbai have not yet reported for duty. With an additional 132 inspectors affected by the election-related transfers, the total shortage could exceed 330 officers. The Mumbai Police emphasised that the transfer of such a large number of key officers could pose significant challenges to election-related duties, maintaining law and order, and ensuring a smooth electoral process.

The letter also highlighted past instances, such as the 2014, 2019, and 2024 general elections, where the transfer criteria in Mumbai accounted for territorial divisions at the zonal level rather than treating the entire city as a single unit. However, the EC declined this request, resulting in substantial reshuffling with just 20 days remaining before the election. Of the 263 officers transferred, 161 are from Mumbai, 38 from the MBVV Commissionerate, and 22 from Navi Mumbai, while 42 officers from other Maharashtra districts have been reassigned to Mumbai.