cleared the backlog of payments of Rs350 million after suspending DF in Feb 2018, saved ESEF a huge loss of Rs200 million by taking different internal control measures, development of policies and rules is in process, hired A.F.Ferguson & Co (Chartered Accountants) for audit and a good Legal Adviser to contest the cases of ESEF which is under heavy litigation and has lost numerous cases.”

When approached Zulfiqar Ahmad said since August 2018 he was trying to convene the meeting of the Board to decide critical issues facing the ESEF including the corruption cases but the meeting held on 7th February 2019. He said that four major cases of corruption were on the agenda but the Board completely ignored the agenda and decided to suspend the MD.Officials posted in one place for three years could also be transferred. (File)

The Election Commission has directed all state governments to transfer officials posted in their home districts and those who have spent three years in a district.

In a letter addressed to all state chief secretaries and chief electoral officers, the Commission pointed out that polls to Lok Sabha and assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim are due shortly.

It said while the term of the 16th Lok Sabha ends on June 3, the terms of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim assemblies expire on June 18, June 1, June 11 and May 27, respectively.

It is usual for the poll panel to issue such directions ahead of Lok Sabha or assembly polls to ensure that