Election Commission orders transfer of Andhra Pradesh DGP over alleged bias
Election Commission orders transfer of Andhra Pradesh DGP over alleged bias
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Sunday ordered the transfer of Andhra Pradesh DGP K V Rajendranath Reddy, with immediate effect, with sources indicating that he was seen by the poll panel to be allegedly favouring the ruling dispensation, particular chief minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.
The state government was directed by EC to submit a panel of three DG-rank, eligible IPS officers, by Monday for appointment as the new DGP.
Sources in the poll panel told TOI that four senior officers in Andhra Pradesh government, including one from the administrative brass and three from the police side, were for long suspected by EC to be working as a “cartel” to aid the electoral campaign and prospects of chief minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. All these four officials have connections with Kadapa, the chief minister’s home district in which his assembly constituency also lies, and belong to the same community as him.
Incidentally, the EC had transferred one of the four officers — DGP (Intelligence) P Sitaramanjaneyulu — earlier on April 23. DGP Reddy is the second officer to be removed from this “quartet”, a source said adding that EC hopes the two transfers will serve as a stern warning to that other two officers to fall in line.
“The commission has been watching the officers for some time and believe they have been acting with bias, given their alleged proximity to the chief minister. While DGP (Intel) was removed earlier, EC has now decided to transfer the DGP as well, in the interest of a level playing field ahead of May 13 polling for both Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh,” an officer told TOI.
This is the second state DGP to be removed by EC in the current general election. Earlier, West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar was shunted out for allegedly being too closely identified with the Mamata Banerjee government.
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