Andhra CM slams EC over police officials' transfer

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday protested against the manner in which the Election Commission (EC) transferred three police officials, saying the order was biased and violated the principles of natural justice.

Naidu, in his letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, said he was shocked over the EC's order to transfer Director General (Intelligence) A.B. Venkateswara Rao, Srikakulam Superintendent of Police Venkata Ratnam and Kadapa Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President alleged that the poll panel's order was deliberately aimed at benefiting YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) under the influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and aided by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao.

The EC on Tuesday had ordered transfer of three top police officials and directed that they should not be assigned any election-related work.

Naidu wrote it was sad that the EC ordered the transfer of the officials based on just a complaint by the YSRCP and did so in less than 24 hours of the complaint without even a preliminary inquiry.

He said the EC in its order had not even mentioned the reasons for transfers.

'The EC, which has been assigned with the authority of conducting free and fair elections to safeguard democracy, itself conducts its business in the most unfair and undemocratic manner,' he said.

Naidu said that the Director General (Intelligence) was not connected with the conduct of election but was responsible for providing security to him, his cabinet colleagues and senior political leaders.

'Transferring the DG, Intelligence at this hour is nothing but a deep rooted well orchestrated evil design born out of criminal conspiracy hatched by (YSRCP chief) Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, duly abetted by K. Chandrashekhar Rao and Narendra Modi,' said Naidu, alleging that the EC had joined the list of constitutional bodies which are no longer independent.

Pointing out that DG (Intelligence) is not a designated officer under Section 28A of the Representation of People's Act 1951, Naidu said the EC had no jurisdiction to transfer him and seek a panel of three names from the government to fill the vacancy.

He said Kadapa Superintendent of Police Sharma's transfer was highly objectionable as he was probing the murder of former minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy.

--IANS

ms/mag/mr