Police told not to favour former cops contesting elections

With several retired police officers and kin of incumbent police officials set to contest the second phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly polls tomorrow, the police department has warned its officials against "illegally" favouring such candidates during the election process.
According to police sources, the wife of a senior police official and two retired police officers are contesting on Congress tickets, while another retired cop has been fielded by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Anila Bhediya, wife of Deputy Inspector General (CID) Ravindra Bhediya, has been fielded by the Congress from the Dondi Lohara constituency.
Similarly, a retired deputy superintendent of police officer Shyamlal Kanwar, who is a Congress candidate, is pitted against BJP leader and Chhattisgarh Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar from the Rampur seat.

The Congress had also fielded another retired deputy superintendent of police R K Rai from the Gunderdehi seat.
The ruling BJP has also provided opportunity to retired police inspector Ramlal Chouhan from the Saraipali seat, to contest against senior Congress leader, who is the constituency's sitting MLA Haridas Bhardwaj.

Police department apprehending that these candidates may take undue advantage of their acquaintances with the police officials owing to which directives have been released in this connection.
"Acknowledging that relatives of police officials and retired cops are contesting the poll, police officials have been directed not to favour those candidates in an illegal way," Director General of Police Ramniwas told PTI.

"It is their constitutional right to contest polls but it is important to monitor that they do not take undue advantage of their acquaintances," he said.
Stern action will be taken against officials if they will be caught providing any undue favour to these candidates, he said.
A total of 843 candidates will contest during the second phase of assembly elections on Tuesday.