In a major update, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued transfer orders for non-cadre officers who are posted at leadership positions as District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP). The order has been issued for non-cadre officers in four states namely Gujarat, Punjab, Odisha and West Bengal. The post of district magistrate and SP in the districts are for officers from Indian Administrative and Indian Police Service respectively. The officers to be transferred are SPs of Chhota Udaipur and Ahmedabad Rural districts in Gujarat. SSPs of Pathankot, Fazilka, Jalandhar Rural and Malerkotla districts in Punjab. DM of Dhenkanal and SPs of Deogarh and Cuttack Rural in Odisha and DM of Purba Medinipur, Jhargram, Purba Bardhaman and Birbhum districts of West Bengal. Additionally, the Election Commission has also directed transfer of SSP Bathinda in Punjab and SP Sonitpur in Assam in view of their kinship or familial association with the elected political representatives.