Madurai election officials shunted out over breach

CHENNAI: Lambasting the Election Commission of India (ECI) for its ‘shabby’ inquiry into the security breach committed by officials at the ‘sealed’ Madurai Lok Sabha constituency counting centre, Madras high court has ordered transfer of all poll officials, including the returning officer who is the district collector.
When the election commission counsel informed the court that it had transferred returning officer S Natarajan and assistant returning officer of Madurai West assembly segment Guruchandran, a division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad said the letter was furnished when the court was already inclined to pass orders shifting the officials out.
Commission’s counsel Niranjan Rajagopal said while S Nagarajan would replace S Natarajan as returning officer, Shantha Kumar would take the place of Guru Chandran as assistant returning officer with immediate effect.
Noting that the court could not accept whatever was submitted by the EC, the bench pointed out that so far no action had been taken against the personal assistant (general) to Madurai district collector, who was said to have instructed tahsildar Sampooranam to visit the strong room, against ACP (crime) in charge of the election duty and the policemen who allowed the woman and three others to enter the room, the bench directed the ECI to initiate disciplinary action or prosecution against all these officials.
Judges faulted ‘inquiry report’ filed by additional CEO
The judges faulted the ‘inquiry report’ filed by the additional CEO, and said: “There is absolutely nothing in this report. No recommendation nor findings of the inquiry. It is very disturbing that the PA who is said to be responsible for the issue was not even inquired. What decision the commission can come to on the basis of this report.” The bench then posted the plea to April 30 for the ECI to file counter.
The issue pertains to unauthorized entry of tahsildar Sampooranam and three others into the strong room where pollrepeated documents were secured, on April 20. Election for the constituency was held on April 18 and all EVMs and postal ballots were sealed and kept in the strong room. Though she was suspended by the returning officer on April 21, CPM candidate for the constituency Su Venkatesan, moved the high court alleging larger conspiracy in the security breach.
When the plea came up for hearing, the EC submitted that an inquiry had been conducted by additional chief electoral officer and it had come to light that there indeed was a lapse in security for the strong rooms.
ECI counsel Niranjan further submitted that the tahsildar entered the room only on the instruction of personal assistant to Madurai collector. “A report has been sent to CEO and the ECI. The commission would take a decision in a couple of days,” he said. Opposing the submissions, NR Elango, senior counsel for Venkatesan, contended that various mandatory arrangements, including threetier security and 24x7 CCTV recording have not been made available in the strong room.