Ashutosh Shukla names as Election DG in Tamil Nadu

The Election Commission on Wednesday night appointed Ashutosh Shukla, the present DGP, prisons, as Director General of elections and supervise all poll related works involving police in Tamil Nadu with immediate effect. In a letter to Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan, the commission said, Shukla would not report to the Director General of Police and all police officers in charge of electoral process would report to Shukla.

The commission also made it clear in the communication that the present DGP T K Rajendran would not be associated in the process of election and would not communicate with superintendents of Police, DIG, IGs or other officials on election related matter or have any meeting with them till the completion of the Lok Sabha elections in the state. The EC further directed Ashutosh Shukla to take charge of the new assignment immediately.

The polls in the 39 seats of Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in Puducherry would be held on April 18.

(With inputs from agencies.)