Chennai Commissioner of Police S George has been transferred ahead of the RK Nagar bypoll on 12 April.
The Election Commission ordered his transfer on 25 March. Karan Singha has been posted as the new Commission of Police.
George's transfer comes in the wake of opposition party, the DMK, urging the EC to move George out from the post for the “smooth conduct of the poll”.
A delegation comprising MPs TKS Elangovan, RS Bharathi and Tiruchi Siva had filed a petition before the EC on 17 March.
Alleging that George favoured AIADMK (Amma)’s VK Sasikala, the DMK had cited the ruckus in the Tamil Nadu Assembly during the trust vote of the Edappadi Palaniswami government and the violence during the Jallikattu protests as reasons to demand his transfer.
The party also alleged that George aspired to be elevated to DGP of Tamil Nadu, a post that is currently vacant.
The DMK, in its petition, also demanded that the Returning Officer be transferred ahead of the election.
RK Nagar, a North Chennai constituency, goes to polls on 12 April. The bye-election was necessitated following the demise of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
It will see a multi-cornered battle with the DMK, BJP, Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakumar, VK Sasikala’s AIADMK (Amma) and O Panneerselvam’s AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) contesting.
(The story was published in an arrangement with The News Minute.)
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