LUCKNOW, Oct. 28 -- The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to transfer officers associated with election-related work who are posted in their home districts or have served in the same district for three years or more, ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. Unlike previous assembly or Lok Sabha elections, when district magistrates and superintendents of police were usually transferred, the latest directive covers a wider range of administrative and election-related officials. These include divisional commissioners, district election officers (DEOs), electoral registration officers (EROs), additional district magistrates (ADMs), sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs), tehsildars, block development officers, municipal commissioners and officers posted in development authorities. According to UP chief electoral officer (CEO) Navdeep Rinwa, the ECI has issued guidelines regarding the transfer and deployment of officials directly involved in election-related work. The Commission has directed compliance to ensure fairness, transparency and impartial role of administrative machinery in the poll process, he said. The order is likely to set in motion transfers of officers who meet the prescribed criteria. In an earlier order dated October 21, the ECI had directed the state government to transfer officers only after obtaining its permission, in view of the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls for assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, beginning November 12. On Tuesday, the Commission made a separate provision for personnel involved in the ongoing SSR. Their transfers will take place only after the final publication of electoral rolls on January 4 and in consultation with the chief electoral officer. In a letter to the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary and chief electoral officer, the ECI stated that officers covered by the directive would not be allowed to continue in their present districts if they met the transfer criteria. The cut-off date for calculating the three-year tenure has been set as May 31, 2027. Promotions to posts within the same district will also count towards the three-year tenure. However, service at the state headquarters during the past four years will be excluded from the calculation, even if the headquarters falls within the same revenue district. The Commission has instructed the state government to ensure that transferred officers are not posted in their home districts. In the police department, the order covers officers from the rank of sub-inspector up to additional director general of police, inspector general, commissioner of police and senior superintendent of police. It also applies to officers above the rank of sub-inspector in the state excise department and designated officials in the state transport department, including RTOs, ARTOs, DTOs and ADTOs. The chief secretary and DGP have been directed to submit compliance reports to the Commission by November 30....