District Collector D. Amoy Kumar has been transferred to Rangareddy district as Collector with immediate effect following concerns raised by the State Election Commission on Monday.
Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri District Collector Anita Ramachandran has been given full additional charge of Suryapet.
Mr. Kumar, a 2007-State Civil Service officer assigned to the Indian Administrative Service in 2013, was in Suryapet since December 2018. He was also the District Election Officer for the gram panchayat elections, the general election, the Huzurnagar by-election in October 2019 and the recently-concluded urban local body polls.
The transfer of Mr. Kumar on the day of election of chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of various municipalities on Monday, assumes significance, after the Congress registered a strong protest in connection with election of chairperson and vice-chairperson in Nereducherla municipality.
The municipal commissioner of Nereducherla, accepted the option of Congress Rajya Sabha MP KVP Ramachandra Rao, given on January 25, as ex-officio member of Nereducherla and replied the same day informing about the special meeting for the election on Monday.
However, on January 26, Commissioner P. Mahender Reddy notified that Mr. Ramachandra Rao’s option was being rejected.
Uttam’s protest
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president and Nalgonda MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, following the development, launched a sit-in protest outside the District Collector’s residence late on Sunday night. However, his repeated pleas to Mr. Kumar to rectify the anomaly went in vain.
The State Election Commission which intervened on Monday, just before voting at 11 a.m. after the Nalgonda MP complained, noted that the Commissioner had acted without jurisdiction, legal basis and haste, and postponed the election to Tuesday.
The government order transferring Mr. Kumar passed by Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Monday also acknowledges the concerns raised by the Secretary, SEC.
