The DMK represented to the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the transfer of Director-General of Police (DGP) K. Ramanujam on the ground that his continuation would be “detrimental to the conduct of free and fair elections and will be an affront to the rule of law.”
DMK MP and organising secretary of the party T.K.S. Elangovan, who met the Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath and other election commissioners, had recalled the instruction of the ECI to all State Governments and Union Territories not to assign election duty to police officers who were serving extended terms in office after their superannuation.
He said as per the existing All India Service Rules, no IPS officer could continue in the service beyond completion of 60 years of age and the State government could give maximum extension of three months, that too with the prior approval of the Central Government.
Mr. Elangovan pointed out that Mr. Ramanujam, had already completed his tenure of more than 2 years 8 months in the post of DGP.
“So it becomes imperative for my party to give this representation seeking transfer of Mr Ramanujam, who is on an extension even without the specific approval of the Centre,” he said in his memorandum.
He said the DMK had learnt that since the Union Home Ministry had not approved his extension, the Auditor General was refusing to pass his salary bills. “Mr Ramanujam is also not getting his pension. But still, only at the insistence of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, he is continuing in the post. It raises a reasonable suspicion on his integrity and further creates a reasonable apprehension that he may not act in a fair and impartial manner during the ensuing Lok Sabha elections,” Mr Elangovan said.
