Suryapet Collector shunted out after Congress cries foul over municipal polls row

The Congress complained to the State Election Commission (SEC) that the Collector had failed to fulfill his duties during the recent municipal polls.
Suryapet Collector shunted out after Congress cries foul over municipal polls row
Suryapet Collector shunted out after Congress cries foul over municipal polls row
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The Suryapet District Collector in Telangana D Amoy Kumar was transferred on Monday and posted as the District Collector of Ranga Reddy district, amid an ongoing row related to the municipal polls which recently concluded in the state.

Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar issued a Government Order with the transfer details and said that Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri District Collector Anita Ramachandran has been given full additional charge of Suryapet district.

Kumar's transfer came after concerns were raised by the State Election Commission (SEC).

Earlier this week, as the election of chairperson and vice-chairperson for Nereducherla municipality was underway, the municipal commissioner accepted the vote of Congress Rajya Sabha MP KVP Ramachandra Rao on November 25 as an ex-officio member.

However, the Commissioner rejected the Congress MP's vote on January 26. triggering protests from Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) chief Uttam Kumar Reddy.

The senior Congress leader staged a protest outside the District Collector's residence on Sunday night but in vain. Following this, he complained to the SEC, which ruled that the Commissioner's decision was 'without jurisdiction' and postponed the election by a day.

As the Collector is the official responsible for overseeing the smooth conduct of the elections, the state government has decided to transfer him, based on concerns raised by the SEC.

The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) swept the municipal elections, capturing power in over 100 out of 120 municipalities and seven out of nine municipal corporations.

The Congress was a distant second with majority in three municipalities. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) won a municipality each.

Over 70 percent of 53.37 lakh voters had cast their votes last Wednesday to elect 325 corporators for municipal corporations and 2,727 councillors for municipalities. A total of 1,746 candidates were in the fray in municipal corporations while 11,099 candidates tested their political fortunes in municipalities.

The newly-elected bodies elected mayors, chairpersons and deputy chairpersons on January 27.

IANS inputs

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