SEC Punetha Caught In Fresh Row, Judicial Scrutiny

Vijayawada:Controversies relating to the conduct of elections are not new to State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha. These started in 2019, leading to his removal as AP chief secretary by the Election Commission – and progressed to the present political storm over allegations of irregularities in urban local body elections.

The present complaints from the YSRC have brought the SEC under closer judicial scrutiny.

The latest controversy erupted after the YSR Congress accused the ruling Telugu Desam-led alliance of obstructing opposition candidates from filing nominations through intimidation, attacks and destruction of nomination papers. The YSRC petitioned the Supreme Court, which on Wednesday directed the SEC to examine complaints by YSRC and other candidates that they were prevented from filing nominations. It also directed the commission to defer publication of the final candidates' list until October 25, while also ordering protection for candidates and security at nomination centres.

Punetha's most prominent past controversy dates to March-April 2019, when he was chief secretary under the then TD government of Chandrababu Naidu. After the ECI ordered the transfer of three police officers, Punetha initially implemented the directions but subsequently reversed the order concerning Intelligence chief AB Venkateswara Rao.

The central election commission thereon summoned him for an explanation and later transferred him to a non-election post, after appointing L.V. Subrahmanyam as chief secretary