Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan alleges Model Code violation in transfer of panchayat secretaries

The Local Self-Government department has transferred panchayat secretaries in the bypoll-bound Wayanad and Palakkad districts

Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India and the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (Kerala) accusing the Local Self-Government department of transferring panchayat secretaries in violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

Through order LSGD/PD/21951/2024-DEA3, the department has transferred panchayat secretaries in the bypoll-bound Wayanad and Palakkad districts, Mr. Satheesan alleged. The secretaries of Meenangadi, and Kaniyambetta grama panchayats in Wayanad district and Mankara, Thiruvegappura, and Paruthur panchayats in Palakkad district, among others, have been transferred, according to him.

The Code of Conduct had come into effect on October 15 with the Election Commission of India declaring byelections in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency and the Palakkad and Chelakkara Assembly constituencies.

“Though the date on the order has been shown as October 14, 2024, it is evident that the order has been signed on October 18, 2024. This clearly indicates that a date prior to the Model Code of Conduct date was shown on the order to circumvent the model code of conduct,” Mr. Satheesan said in his complaint.

While four different orders of the Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) have been cited as the reason for the government order. However, none of the petitioners mentioned in the KAT orders have figured in the GO, he said. Moreover, the order has been described as a modification/erratum to the general transfer order issued in September 2024. But secretaries who have not applied for general transfer or have not even completed one year have been transferred, he said.

Published - October 19, 2024 07:31 pm IST