DMK demands transfer of top police officers

The petition alleged that some of the officials are still working under the control of the state government instead of Election Commission and are reportedly obliging the instructions of the party-in power.  The names featured in the petition are Vijayakumar, Special Director General Police (Law and Order), Chennai, AK Viswanathan, Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai, Additional Commissioners A Arun, Dr R Dhinakaran, Maheshkumar Agarwal, Joint Commissioners TS Anbu, Prem Anand Sinha, MV Jayagowri, C Maheswari, R Sudhakar, Najumul Hoda, Deputy Commissioner S Rajendran and NM Mayilvahanan and Assistant Commissioner Sivakumar.

The petition alleged that these police officials are ignoring the complaints related to electoral offences lodged by the DMK and allied parties, while aiding the ruling party members to continue their electoral offences. The DMK had already submitted a petition to the Chief Election Commissioner and Chief Electoral Officer of the state to transfer these officials. In another petition, they sought better security for sensitive polling booths in several Assembly and parliamentary constituencies. 

Personnel attached to Greater Chennai police cast their votes via postal ballot at respective venues on Saturday. Though it was supposed to begin at 7 am, in South Chennai, the polling began an hour later at Government Arts College, Nandanam, while the polling started for Central Chennai constituency around 9 am at Girls’ Higher Secondary School in Egmore. In North Chennai, polling began at 10.30 am at St Peters Higher Secondary School. Police personnel complained that election officials did not make even basic amenities available and there was no glue to stick their votes on envelopes. City police Commissioner AK Viswanathan, who cast his vote at St Peters School in Royapuram later visited the polling booths identified as sensitive in North Chennai. Police personnel cast their votes till 6 pm on Saturday.