Election Commission Halts Appointment of Army Colonel as SSP in J&K

The Election Commission has deferred the Jammu and Kashmir administration's move to appoint an Army Colonel as SSP, citing the Model Code of Conduct during ongoing elections. The chief secretary must explain the rationale and submit a compliance report by October 1. The third election phase is also on October 1.

The Election Commission has halted the Jammu and Kashmir administration's decision to appoint an Army colonel as SSP (Training and Special Operations). This decision aligns with the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) currently in place due to the ongoing assembly elections.

In an order directed at the chief secretary, the EC mandated all officer transfers associated with elections are suspended while the MCC is in effect. The Commission questioned the urgency and rationale behind posting an Army officer in a civil role during this period.

The J&K chief secretary is required to provide a compliance report and a detailed explanation for bypassing the Election Commission's approval process by 11:00 am on October 1. Notably, the final phase of J&K's assembly elections also falls on this date.

(With inputs from agencies.)