Vaiko urges Kalam to order probe on Chennai Commsr's transfer

Chennai, Mar 18 (UNI) MDMK leader Vaiko today urged President A P J Abdul Kalam to order a free and fair probe into the Election Commission (EC) ordering transfer of Chennai City Police Commissioner R Nataraj for praising Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

In a letter to Dr Kalam, a copy of which was released to the press here, he described as an 'inexplicable authoritarian act', the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC)'s 'highly questionable action' against a Police Commissioner over felicitations on International Women's Day.

'I earnestly appeal to you to make a fair and free inquiry into the highly improper and undemocratic action taken by the CEC', he said, adding that the electoral process should be fully transparent and there was no place for 'hideous and hidden action' that would undermine public confidence in the conduct of the poll panel.

Acting on a complaint from Union Minister and DMK leader A Raja, the EC ordered Mr Nataraj's transfer for praising the Chief Minister, stating his remarks violated the model code of conduct that came in force for the May 8 Assembly polls. The EC had also rejected the State government's plea for reconsideration of its directive.

Observing that he was ''bewildered'' to hear the news, Mr Vaiko, an ally of the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu for the polls, said 'the action of the EC smacks of unwarranted and unjustifiable interference in the working of the police machinery of Tamil Nadu'.

Alleging the EC was acting more under Union Ministers than under the ''august integrity and impartiality'' of the independent constitutional authority, Mr Vaiko appealed to Dr Kalam to take necessary steps to set right the conduct of the EC and the CEC, to reestablish the Commission's prestige and restore public confidence in the EC.

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