CHENNAI: Neither any allegations nor substantial materials have been shown by the petitioner in the petition seeking action against IAS officer P Umanath who has been functioning as the secretary-I to Chief Minister MK Stalin, the Election Commission of India told the Madras High Court on Friday.
“What the petitioner has raised is just an apprehension,” standing counsel for the ECI Niranjan Rajagopalan submitted before the first bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari when a petition filed by advocate A Mohandas, belonging to the BJP, seeking action against the IAS officer for violation of model code of conduct came up for hearing.
He noted the court has taken a stand that public interest litigation (PIL) is not maintainable for seeking transfer of officers.
However, the bench directed him to file a reply to the petition on April 20 and adjourned the hearing to the following day.
The petitioner had alleged the officer has been continuing to exercise administrative influence, maintenance of communication with the district collectors and police authorities and interfering with the governance during existence of the model code of conduct, thereby compromising neutrality of the electoral process.
He prayed for the court to issue orders to the election commission to take appropriate action including transfer of the officer concerned and ensure the conduct of free and fair election.