The Central Administrative Tribunal in Jabalpur on Tuesday quashed the Election Commission's order transferring the district collectors of Jashpur and Bastar in Chhattisgarh for alleged violation of the model code of conduct.
"There is nothing to show that they had violated the model code of conduct," a division bench comprising vice-chairman and administrative member M P Singh and judicial member G Shantappa said while setting aside the transfer B S Anant and L N Suryavanshi of Jashpur and Bastar respectively.
Unhappy with their conduct, the Election Commission had on October 29 ordered them transferred out of the two districts.
The duo moved the CAT saying the EC's order was "arbitrary and illegal." The EC's counsel countered that the "sole motive of the commission is to conduct impartial elections peacefully." The CAT granted a stay on the EC's order.
On November 14, a division bench of the Chhattisgarh high court vacated the stay granted by the CAT. The officials later sought a second stay on their transfer from CAT.
On November 21, the CAT had reserved its orders on their petition.
