No need to explain, CEO on transfers

Amaravati: No explanation is required for any transfer in the government by the Election Commission of India, said Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gopal Krishna Dwivedi. He made these comments while reacting for the first time on transfer of three IPS officials in the state which kicked up a political storm.

Interacting with the media persons at his chamber at the Secretariat on Thursday, Dwivedi ruled out the objections raised by the two IPS officials A Venkata Ratnam and Rahul Dev Sharma, saying that there will be no question of giving reasons for any transfer. He further added that a transfer is not an action against any officer and maintained that it is just an administrative arrangement.

His comments come in the wake of of two IPS officers writing letters to ECI expressing anquish over their transfer. Both requested the EC to explain the reasons on what ground they were removed from election duties and asked to prove the allegations levelled by the YSRCP against them.

Dwived said that they did not take into the consideration allegations made by the YSRCP against the officials. He also maintained that he was not responsible for transfer of all these three IPS officers and it was the decision of the ECI. The CEO said that he will forward the letters of the two officals to the commission.

To a query, the case of A B Venkateswara Rao, Intelligence DG, will be decided by the court.

Reacting on the YSRCP's objection on candidates having similar names at same constituencies in both YSRCP and Praja Santhi Party, Dwivedi said that there was nothing to do in this case by the EC. He said that the elections will be conducted and the names of the candidates and symbols will be allotted as per the existing guidelines. That means, there will be no question of taking any action on the Praja Santhi party.