Based on the complaint made by the Hassan District Minister, Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar has ordered an investigation against Rohini.
Hassan District Election Officer and Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri's tussle with District Minister In-Charge A Manju took another turn on Tuesday. Manju has now written to the Election Commission asking them to transfer Rohini out of Hassan district ahead of the Assembly elections in May.
Based on the complaint made by the Hassan District Minister, Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar has ordered an investigation against Rohini.
In the letter, Manju asks for Rohini's transfer, the withdrawal of a complaint filed by election officials and also a press conference clearing his name.
“The facts and documents clearly demonstrates that Rohini Sindhuri is determined to tarnish my image without appreciating the explanation offered by me to the showcause notice and also the reports filed by the PWD department and without verifying the genuineness of the TV reports and colluding and favouring opposite political party and by misusing her office by issuing a notice,” the letter says.
Rohini had locked down Manju's office on March 31 at the PWD Inspection Bungalow and issued notices to the minister and the PWD demanding to know why a government office was being used for election work as it was against Model Code of Conduct (MCC) rules.
She had acted on television reports that work was being carried out discreetly inside a locked office.
An FIR was registered by the district police following a complaint by the district authorities under section 188 of the IPC – disobedience to order promulgated by public servant.
Manju, in response, has accused Sindhuri of targeting him and misusing her authority as District Election Officer. He claimed that the office in question was locked on March 27 by election officials in the district and denied that any work was going on inside it.
Rohini has also accused Manju of granting Baigar Hukum land after the MCC came into effect without following due process. The MCC was enforced on March 26.
In January, Rohini was set to be transferred from Hassan after a reported tiff with politicians from the ruling Congress party. However, the transfer order was withdrawn in March after the Election Commission had stalled it.
Within 48 hours of the withdrawal, a fresh transfer notice was issued to Rohini. The issue is being heard by the High Court.