HYDERABAD: The
Election Commission of India on Friday removed
Suryapet district superintendent of police Ravirala Venkateshwarlu and appointed R Bhaskaran in his place to oversee the
Huzurnagar bypoll process.
The Huzurnagar assembly constituency in Suryapet district is going for a bypoll on October 21.
The decision has been taken following complaints from Congress and BJP, which said they have no faith in the functioning of Venkateshwarlu.
He has been attached to the headquarters and EC ordered the government not to deploy him for any election duty.
SP removal not punitive action, say EC officialsBhaskaran, a 2012 IPS batch officer, was picked by the poll body from a panel of three SPs sent by the state government to supervise law and order during the byelection.
Senior EC officials said though nothing adverse was found against the SP, Venkateshwarlu was removed as he belongs to neighbouring Nalgonda district and his hometown is not far from Huzurnagar. Sources said the decision was taken to dispel the impression that the officer was helping the ruling TRS by booking cases against Congress leaders and activists in the run-up to the bypoll.
Congress leader
Komatireddy Venkat Reddy welcomed the decision, while BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao said EC took the decision based on a complaint from his party.
Meanwhile, the poll body has appointed former Indian Revenue Service officer BR Balakrishnan as special expenditure observer for the upcoming Huzurnagar bypoll.