A day after Hassan Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri was transferred, the Election Commission has asked the State government to withdraw its order on the transfer of the DC and two others until the final publication of electoral rolls on February 28.

A letter by Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to Chief Secretary Ratna Prabha stated that the “the transfer order issued by the government on January 22, 2018, cannot be given effect to as far as it relates to the transfer and posting of DCs. The said transfer orders can be given effect only after concurrence of the Election Commission of India.”

The letter also instructed the government that all officers involved in electoral roll revision work, like DC’s, roll observers and registration officers, are deemed to be on deputation to the EC till February 28.

Sindhuri was overseeing arrangements for the upcoming Mahamastakabhisheka celebrations at Shravanabelegola. The news of her transfer elicited a strong reaction from leaders of BJP and JD(S).

The BJP has alleged that the transfer has happened due to disagreements between the officer and the Chief Minister's office over the festival. BJP State President, BS Yeddyurappa, called the transfer unceremonious and said that there was no place for honest offers in the Siddaramaiah government.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the decision to transfer Sindhuri and said that the transfer of officials is the government’s decision. “It is an administrative issue and the government need not give an explanation to others,” he said speaking to The Hindu. He also added that he had no information about EC staying the transfer.

The transfer of the Hassan DC comes days after Dakshina Kannada SP Sudheer Kumar Reddy was transferred just six months into his term. Reddy’s predecessor Bhushan Gulabrao Borase was also shunted out within six months of his appointment after a public tiff with a minister.