Tamil Nadu Polls: EPS backs Election Commission officer transfers, says move ensures fairness

Chennai: AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday defended the Election Commission of India's decision to transfer the Tamil Nadu chief secretary and DGP, saying the move was aimed at ensuring free and fair elections in the state. He went on to question chief minister MK Stalin's opposition to the transfers effected on April 8. "What problem does he have if the officers are shifted," he asked.

He said officers had been with DMK government for long and there was nothing wrong in transferring them during elections. "DMK seems to be depending on officials, but we depend on people for victory," he told reporters. "What problem does he have if someone else is appointed?"

Stalin took strong exception to the transfer and termed ECI's move as "unilateral". Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram too voiced his dissent. He recalled the Supreme Court remarks in a judgement a few years ago where it cautioned ECI against becoming an "imperium in imperio". "That was a prescient observation," he posted on X.