An emergency appeal by former civil servants to withdraw the order to deploy AFPF on election duty.
An emergency appeal by former civil servants to withdraw the order to deploy AFPF on election duty.
Pankaj Nath, Assam, March 31 :
40 former civil servants of the Constitutional Conduct Group have written a letter to the Chief Secretary of Assam, demanding immediate withdrawal of the order issued by the Special Chief Secretary of the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department. In this order, around 1600 personnel of the Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) have been directed to be deployed on duty for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections. Former officials have described it as a clear violation of the Election Commission’s guidelines and the Supreme Court’s 2024 order. The group has said in the letter that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has clear guidelines that regional forest forces and forest officers, including senior officers of the Indian Forest Service (IFS), cannot be engaged on election-related duties. This move puts the protection of forests and ecological conservation at risk. They have raised this issue by referring to the media reports published ‘Assam Elections 2026: Decision to deploy 1600 forest guards on election duty’. Former civil servants have warned that the deployment of AFPF personnel will undermine the protection of Assam’s wildlife of global importance. In Assam, threatened animals such as the Indian rhinoceros (the world’s largest population in the Kaziranga National Park), the hoolock jiban (India’s only ape species), the golden langur and the pygmy hog will be threatened. They said that constant vigil is necessary to prevent poachers and encroachment in protected areas like Kaziranga. Other wildlife like elephants and tigers will also become vulnerable. The group, citing the 2024 Supreme Court Order (https://api.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2017/6141/6141_2017_3_106_53250_Order_15-May-2024.pdf), said that the court has exempted forest officials and forest department vehicles from election duty, as it is a specialized and essential task. Failure to comply with this order is putting the state government at risk of judicial inquiry. The letter has appealed to the Chief Secretary to immediately withdraw the order for the deployment of AFPF personnel and ensure strict adherence to the ECI guidelines and Supreme Court directions in future. The group has urged for swift corrective steps in the interest of protecting Assam’s ecological security, forests and wildlife. The letter ended with the proclamation of ‘Satyamev Jayate’. The signatory group includes J.L. Bajaj (former IAS), Sharad Behar (former Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary), Madhu Bhaduri (former IFS), Harsh Mander (former IAS), Najeeb Jung (former Delhi Lieutenant Governor), Julio Ribeiro (former IPS) among others are 40 former officers. The letter could give new heights to Assam’s political and environmental debate, especially in the midst of elections.
