Transfers kick up dust

Hyderabad: The transfer of several police personnel, including inspectors in the city police, this close to the general elections turned controversial with the AP Administrative Tribunal staying some of them.

The state election authorities have also been flooded with complaints that the police brass has effected several transfers either in violation of Election Commission guidelines or misinterpreting the statutory rules governing the service conditions.

Significantly, the police bosses have been refusing to implement the tribunal’s orders and have been pressurising the personnel to take up their new assignments.

The Election Commission had directed the state government to transfer all poll-related officials out of their native districts if they were working in zonal and state cadres. In case of others, the EC wanted them to be shifted out of their respective constituencies if they had completed three years in their existing posts.

Recently, several police personnel working in the Railway Protection Force approached the tribunal complaining that they had been shifted under the pretext of EC guidelines though the force is not under the purview of poll duties described by the EC.

APAT member D.K. Panwar issued orders staying the transfer. Sources said that the tribunal has also stayed the transfer of Kurnool deputy SP Y. Ramana Kumar, who was moved out at the instance of a local minister. A native of East Godavari, Mr Kumar had taken charge in Kurnool just six months back but was asked to report at the DGP’s office.

City police chief Anurag Sharma had also transferred several inspectors who have got their orders stayed by the APAT. The inspectors had joined the city police when clause 14 (f) of the Presidential Order was in force by virtue of which the city cadre is treated separately.

"While removing the 14 (f) and clubbing city police in zone six, the Centre had categorically said that the new rule would be applied with prospective effect and not retrospective," said the APAT in its order. But the city police chief moved those inspectors covered under 14 (f) out of the city. "At this stage, the EC cannot interfere because the poll announcement is yet to be made. Once the code is enforced, we can look into anomalies," said an election official.