CPM’s plea to transfer Pondy CEO considered

A division bench comprising Justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad, disposed the plea with the direction after recording the submission made by ECI’s counsel Niranjan Rajagopal that there was no time frame for the position of CEO and the criteria of three years is only for district level election officers.

CPI(M) represented by R Rajangam had submitted that the ECI has issued instructions in connection with transfer of officers with respect to tenure criteria and home district criteria. But contrary to this, Dr. V Candavelou, who is presently the Chief Electoral Officer, is a native of Mudaliarpet and most of his relatives including his wife and in-laws belong to Puducherry.

He was transferred and posted in Puducherry on February 20, 2014 as Secretary to Government for various subjects including Finance. Moreover, by working in the same station for the past four years, he has developed animosity against few and hence it is impossible for him to act in a free and fair manner in holding elections, the plea said.