Former civil servants oppose ‘illegal’ deployment of Assam forest force on poll duty

A group of retired Indian Administrative Service and Indian Forest Service officials and wildlife conservationists has raised “serious concerns” over the Assam government deploying around 1,600 personnel of the Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) on election duty.

An Assam government official confirmed to The Hindu that it was the “first time” forest personnel were requisitioned for election duty. Assam votes in a single phase on April 9.

In a joint representation addressed to authorities on March 28, the signatories have argued that the order dated March 19, 2026 – issued by the State’s Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department – violates both election guidelines and a binding Supreme Court directive.

The signatories said Election Commission of India’s norms do not allow the deployment of territorial forest staff and serving forest officials for election work. These safeguards ensure that forest protection and wildlife management functions are not disrupted.

They cited a May 15, 2024, order of the Supreme Court which directed that forest staff and vehicles should not be deployed for elections or other non-forest duties. Any deviation from this, the representation said, raises “serious legal and constitutional concerns”.

The Hindu has independently verified the court order and the poll body’s norms.

Question on protection in Assam’s ecologically sensitive areas

The signatories warned that diverting such a large number of AFPF personnel could weaken on-ground protection in Assam’s ecologically sensitive areas. The State is home to the world’s largest population of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros, concentrated in Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, that requires round-the-clock protection against poaching.

They noted that several other vulnerable species — including the hoolock gibbon, golden langur and pygmy hog, all of which have significant populations in Assam — could face increased risk if forest protection staff are redeployed. Elephants and tigers in the State’s forests could also be adversely affected, they said.

The group cautioned that any dilution of frontline forest protection could create opportunities for organised wildlife crime networks. It warned that the move sets a “troubling precedent” by disregarding established institutional safeguards.

The representation has been signed by former senior officials including Meena Gupta, former Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests; A.K. Jha, former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Maharashtra; Uma Shankar Singh, former PCCF, Uttar Pradesh; and Prakriti Srivastava, former PCCF, Kerala, among others. Conservationist Prerna Singh Bindra and legal analyst Debadityo Sinha are also among the signatories.

The group has urged authorities to immediately withdraw the order and ensure strict compliance with poll body guidelines and Supreme Court directions in future.

Anurag Goel, Chief Electoral Officer, Assam, did not respond to a request for comment. There was no immediate response from the Assam government at the time of publication.