CHENNAI: Ahead of the April 23 election for the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly, the Election Commission of India on Wednesday replaced the state’s chief secretary, N Muruganandam, with senior bureaucrat M Sai Kumar and DGP (armed police, vigilance and anti-corruption) S Davidson Devasirvatham with Sandeep Mittal, a 1995-batch IPS officer, a decision that drew an angry reaction from CM M K Stalin.The move follows multiple complaints from the opposition, alleging that the state’s administrative machinery has been operating in favour of the DMK govt.In a formal communication to the chief secretary, EC secretary Lata Tripathi directed that M Sai Kumar, a 1990-batch IAS officer, be immediately posted as the state’s top bureaucrat. EC further mandated that the outgoing officers should not be assigned any election-related posts until the polling process is complete.Emphasising the urgency of the directive, the commission ordered the changes to be implemented with immediate effect, requiring a compliance and joining report by 6pm on Wednesday.The EC directive made it clear that the transfers are part of the poll preparedness.Meanwhile, CM Stalin attacked EC, accusing it of acting like a “branch of BJP”.He said DMK’s victory cannot be stopped because of such moves. “Who are you trying to help by transferring the officials?” Stalin asked during his campaign at Tiruvannamalai and Kallakurichi districts on Wednesday, hours after the EC order.“Just a few days ago, Election Commission officials visited Chennai and stated that the law and order situation in TN was excellent and the administration was fully cooperative. What changed in a week?” the CM asked.He alleged that transfers ordered by the poll panel, particularly in places like Salem, were orchestrated to benefit AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and the NDA coalition. Salem collector Brindha Ravi was transferred a day ago and Arun Thamburaj was posted in her place. “Is it happening to help EPS?” the CM asked.“Were the chief secretary and DGP transferred like this during the Bihar elections? This is a blatant attempt to stall the DMK’s victory, but they will fail miserably,” Stalin added.
