AP election commissioner writes to chief secy, DGP for removing 9 officers from poll process

Andhra Pradesh State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar has written a letter to state Chief Secretary Adityanath Das and DGP Gautam Sawang for removing nine officers from election duties.

Those officers include collectors of Guntur and Chittoor districts; Tirupati Urban SP; DSPs of Palamaneru and Srikalahasti both towns in Chittoor district; and Circle Inspectors of Macherla, Punganur, Rayadurgam and Tadipatri.

"After the decks are cleared to hold elections now, the Commission had reviewed the situation and again requested the Chief Secretary to give effect to the Commission's earlier directions vide the second reference read above. A response did not emanate from the government as was desired," SEC stated.

"In the face of continued intransigence and opposition of the State Government, the Commission has no other option but to invoke the plenary powers vested with the Commission under Article 243 (K) read with Article 324 to remove the tainted officers (as per the annexure enclosed)," SEC added.

Pursuant to these orders, the incumbent officers who stand removed shall handover the charge immediately and relieve themselves forthwith. The Collector of Chittoor and Guntur Districts shall hand over the charge to the Joint Collector-I, Chittoor and Joint Collector, Guntur respectively. The Superintendent of police, Tirupati Urban shall hand over the charge to the Superintendent of Police, Chittoor.

"The Chief Secretary shall send a panel of 3 names of suitable officers in case of Collectors of Chittoor and Guntur Districts and for Superintendent of Police, Tirupati Urban," said SEC.

"In the case of subordinate police officers, the Director-General of Police shall send a panel of names and a proposal through the designated liaison officer of the department already directed to be placed at the disposal of the Commission for replacement of those who are transferred out," SEC added.

The SEC had written to CS and DGP to take action on these 9 officers claiming that they had failed in preventing the aberrations in the election process and for incidents of poll violence after notification for local body elections. However, the government did not respond. As the gram panchayat elections notification is to be issued tomorrow Saturday, the SEC wrote this letter to CS and DGP. He asked them to give proposals for replacing these removed officers, SEC stated.

( With inputs from ANI )