SEC recommends two new Collectors for Chittoor, Guntur

Amaravati: State Election Commissioner N Ramesh Kumar in a letter addressed to Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das said that the Commission decided to post M Hari Narayan as Collector of Chittoor and P Basant Kumar as Collector of Guntur and requested the State government to relieve the above officers and issue orders to them to assume charge as District Collectors.

The SEC said if the State government in its wisdom wishes to post P Basanth Kumar to Chittoor and M Harinarayana to Guntur, the commission is willing to accede to such a change if suggested. It may be noted that the State government as per the directions of State Election Commission earlier transferred former Chittoor Collector Narayan Bharat Gupta and posted him as Managing Director of AP State Housing Corporation Limited. The government also transferred Guntur Collector I Samuel Anand Kumar and posted him as vice-chairman and MD of AP Schedule Castes Cooperative Finance Corporation Limited.

The State Election Commissioner in his letter stated that the Commission noted that the earlier proposal with regard to posting of Collectors has been resent by the government without modification notwithstanding the pertinent observation.

This is indicative of a dismissive attitude adopted towards the Commission which is regrettable particularly in the light of the judgement pronounced by the apex court on Janaury 25 emphasising the need to work with institutions with due deference due to them.