The group warned that any weakening of frontline forest protection could create opportunities for organized wildlife crime networks. File | Photo credit: The Hindu
A group of former Indian Administrative Service and Indian Forest Service officials and conservationists have expressed “serious concerns” over the Assam government’s deployment of around 1,600 personnel of the Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) on electoral duty.
A government official confirmed to the Assam Hindu that it was the “first time” that forest personnel were requisitioned for polling duty. Assam votes in a single phase on April 9.
In a joint statement addressed to authorities on March 28, the signatories argued that the March 19, 2026 order — issued by the State Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change — violates both election guidelines and a binding Supreme Court directive.
The signatories said that the Election Commission of India norms do not allow the deployment of territorial forest employees and serving forest officers for election work. These guarantees ensure that the functions of forest protection and wildlife management are not disturbed.
They cited the Supreme Court order dated May 15, 2024, which directed that forest personnel and vehicles should not be deployed for election 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 norms of the election body.
Conservation issue in ecologically sensitive areas of Assam
The signatories warned that the diversion of such a large number of AFPF personnel could weaken ground protection in the ecologically sensitive areas of Assam. The state is home to the world’s largest population of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros, concentrated in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kaziranga National Park, which requires round-the-clock protection against poaching.
They noted that several other vulnerable species – including the hoolock gibbon, golden langur and pygmy pig, all of which have significant populations in Assam – could face increased risk if forest conservation workers are relocated. Elephants and tigers in state forests could also be adversely affected, they said.
The group warned that any weakening of frontline forest protection could create opportunities for organized wildlife crime networks. She warned that the move sets a “worrying precedent” by ignoring established institutional safeguards.
The representation was signed by former senior officials including Meena Gupta, former Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests; AK 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 urged the authorities to withdraw the order immediately and ensure strict adherence to the guidelines of the polling authorities and Supreme Court directives 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.
Published – 30 March 2026 22:05 IST
