At last, the Election Commission of India on Tuesday ordered the transfer of three district collectors, five superintendents of police and an inspector general of police in Andhra Pradesh which is going to polls for the state assembly and Lok Sabha on March 13.
The action was based on a report from state chief electoral officer M K Meena, who forwarded the representations given by the NDA allies – TDP, Jana Sena and BJP, who alleged that these officials were acting as the agents of the ruling YSR Congress party.
In a letter to chief secretary K S Jawahar Reddy, an ECI official said the Commission had ordered immediate transfer of Tirupati collector G Lakshmisha, Anantapuramu Collector M Gowthami and Krishna Collector P Raja Babu, who are also the district election officers (DEOs).
The ECI also ordered the transfer of Guntur Range IGP G Pala Raju, Prakasam SP P Parameswar Reddy, Palnadu SP Y Ravi Sankara Reddy, Chittoor SP P Joshua, Ananthapuramu SP KKN Anburajan and Nellore SP K Tirumaleswar Reddy.
The Commission also directed that aforesaid officers should hand over charge to the officer immediately below in rank and that these officers should not be assigned any election-related works till completion of simultaneous elections to the legislative assembly and house of the people in Andhra Pradesh, the EC communication said.
The EC asked the chief secretary to suggest the names of three alternative officers for each officer who is being relieved from poll duties. The EC will then select one from among the three for each of the positions.
The NDA allies on March 18 filed a complaint with Meena alleging that some police officials were acting in favour of the ruling YSR Congress party with regard to law-and-order issues.
It also alleged that Palnadu SP Y Ravi Shankar Reddy and Guntur range IGP G Palaraju had miserably failed in their duties in ensuring adequate security arrangements at the public meeting of the NDA allies addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Chilakaluripet in Palnadu district on March 17.
The NDA allies pointed out that there was a chaotic situation at the Modi’s rally with the crowds pushing themselves towards the stage and also towards the sound system interrupting very often the speech of the Prime Minister.
They also alleged that the power supply was also cut off for nearly 11 minutes, which appeared to be deliberately done at the behest of the ruling YSRCP in order to disrupt the meeting.
“The Prime Minister himself had to request the public, who were violating the protocol, to move away from climbing poles and towers meant for flood lights. Shockingly, there was no response from the police who did not make any attempt to control the crowds,” they said.
They said the police also did not take any steps when the public were seen roaming in the D-Zone before stage, which is a sterile zone as per the security norms.
“It appears the local police, in connivance with the ruling YSRCP, had deliberately planned to sabotage the meeting which was attended by huge crowds,” they alleged.
