EC changes an election observer in Mandya; transfers SP of Hassan

The Election Commission Thursday transferred the superintendent of police of Hassan and changed an election observer in Mandya-- the two sensitive constituencies from where former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's grandsons are contesting the Lok Sabha polls. Hassan SP A N Prakash Gowda has been transferred and Chethan Singh Rathor has come in his place, while Mandya election observer Ranjit Kumar has also been changed, a senior electoral officer said.

The EC has informed the state chief electoral officer Sanjiv Kumar that it has, in response to his letter, approved the proposal for posting of Rathor in place of Gowda. "The ECI has transferred A N Prakash Gowda. Similarly, Mandya election observer Ranjit Kumar has also been changed," chief electoral officer Sanjiv Kumar told PTI.

The transfer of Prakash Gowda comes barely four days after the transfer of the deputy commissioner of the district Akram Pasha who has been replaced by Priyanka Mary Francis. The BJP had alleged misuse of official machinery and had requested the Election Commission to transfer the two officers to conduct free and fair elections in Hassan.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's nephew and Karnataka public works minister H D Revanna's son, Prajwal Revanna is contesting from Hassan. Prajwal is the grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda.

Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil is fighting a tough battle in Mandya, where he is pitted against multi-lingual actress Sumalatha, widow of former minister and actor Ambareesh. BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar and MLA S Suresh Kumar have submitted a memorandum to the election commission on March 28 with a list of 13 officers, including Pasha and Gowda, asking it to remove them from their respective districts.