India, Feb. 9 -- The Bombay high court on Friday struck down a Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT) order, holding that the transfers of police officers ahead of Maharashtra assembly elections were temporary in nature and only for the period of elections. The state government had challenged the order before the high court.

Complying with a directive of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to transfer government officers directly connected with election process and posted in their home districts, the state director general of police (DGP) had issued transfer orders to several police officers. This he did so invoking powers under Section 22N (2) of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951, stating that the transfers were being done in publi...