Andhra Pradesh takes on Election Commission, revokes transfer of DG

Vijayawada: After barring the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from entering AP, N. Chandrababu Naidu’s government appears to have decided to take on another autonomous institution, the Election Commission of India (EC).

The state government overnight changed its stance on the transfer of intelligence chief A.B. Venkateswar Rao. However, there was no proper explanation in the Government Order (GO) that revoked Venkateswar Rao’s transfer.

The state government had rejected the orders of the EC and issued a GO revoking the transfer orders of Venkateshwara Rao. Amidst high drama, the government on Wednesday issued two GOs one bringing all police officials from top to bottom level into the purview of the Election Commission, and another revoking the transfer orders of Venkateswar Rao.

The state government issued the first GO bringing all police personnel from the DGP to constables, except the director general of Intelligence, under the purview of the Election Commission. Later today it released the second GO transferring the other two IPS officers while revoking the transfer order of the Intelligence chief.

Based on the orders of the Election Commission the government issued GO No. 716 on Tuesday night, transferring intelligence DG A.B. Venkateswara Rao, Superintendents of police of Kadapa and Srikakulam Rahul Dev Sharma and M. Venkata Ratnam respectively. Later on Wednesday, the government issued another GO, no 721, bringing all police personnel except the DG Intelligence under the purview of the Election Commission.

“The above officers are deemed to be on deputation to the Election Commission of India from 18.03.2019 (Date of Notification) to 27.05.2019 (Date before which election shall be completed) or the date of declaration of result of the said election, whichever is earlier, and accordingly they shall, during that period, be subject to the control, superintendence and discipline of the Election Commission of India,” said GO No. 721.

The government had also issued another GO, No. 720, cancelling GO No. 716  while issuing transfer orders to Sharma and Ratnam and excluding A.B. Venkateswar Rao