Andhra Pradesh: Election Commission Suspends Police Chiefs Of Palnadu, Anatapur Over Post-Poll Violence

During a meeting convened, EC, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, expressed dissatisfaction over post-poll violence

The Election Commission of India on Thursday suspended the Superintendents of Police of Palnadu and Anantapur districts over post-poll violence in Andhra Pradesh. Additionally, the District Collector of Palnadu and the Superintendent of Police of Tirupati were transferred.

The Election Commission summoned the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police to New Delhi to personally explain the administration's failure to contain post-poll violence, directing them to take strict action against the culprits.

Additionally, the poll panel instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs to retain 25 companies of central armed police forces (CAPF) in Andhra Pradesh after the vote counting to prevent any further violence.

During a meeting convened at Nirvachan Sadan, the Election Commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, expressed dissatisfaction over the post-poll violence. Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy and DGP Harish Kumar Gupta were present at the meeting, where they discussed negligence and a lack of supervision by officials in the violence-affected districts, according to a report on IANS.

Following the briefing, the Commission endorsed the state government's proposal to conduct departmental inquiries against the Palnadu Collector and the Superintendents of Police in Palnadu, Anantapur, and Tirupati.

The Commission also sanctioned the suspension of 12 subordinate police officials across Palnadu, Anantapur, and Tirupati districts, along with the initiation of departmental inquiries.

Expressing its concerns unequivocally, the Commission instructed the Chief Secretary and the DGP to guarantee the prevention of similar violence in the future, tasking all SPs with implementing preemptive measures.

After reviewing the cases, the Commission directed both officials to exercise strict supervision, ensuring timely filing of charge sheets against the culprits in accordance with the law, preferably within the model code of conduct period.