The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : TDP submits memo to EC

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Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TDP submits memo to EC

Legal Correspondent

`Fair poll not possible with Meena, Anantapur SP at helm'

NEW DELHI: Apprehending trouble during the June 2 bypoll in the Penukonda Assembly constituency, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Tuesday urged the Election Commission to relieve the Rayalaseema Inspector-General of Police, R. P. Meena, and the Anantapur Superintendent of Police, Praveen Kumar, of election duty.

A TDP delegation, headed by K. Yerrannaidu, leader of the paraliamentary party, met the Chief Election Commissioner, B.B. Tandon, and the two Commissioners -- N. Gopalaswami and Navin Chawla -- and presented a memorandum. They apprised the Commission of the situation prevailing in the constituency in the aftermath of the killing of TDP workers when Paritala Sunita, widow of Ravindra, filed her nomination.

`Links' with Congress

In the memorandum, they alleged that Mr. Meena and Mr. Praveen Kumar could not be expected to discharge their duties "impartially and effectively" in view of their links with the ruling Congress party. It recalled the alleged role played by Mr. Meena both and after the murder of Ravindra and said he was continuing in the same post to execute "the political agenda" of the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and his son, Jaganmohan Reddy.

"The TDP has absolutely no confidence in his (Mr. Meena's) impartiality in the discharge of his official duties," the memorandum said.

Similarly Mr. Praveen Kumar could not be expected to discharge his duties impartially. Under these circumstances, the memorandum urged the commission to relieve the two officers of poll-related work.

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