Poll Body Revokes Telangana Top Cop Anjani Kumar's Suspension

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to revoke the suspension imposed on Telangana's Director General of Police (DGP), Anjani Kumar. Initially enforced over alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), Kumar faced suspension following his meeting with Congress leader Revanth Reddy, now the Chief Minister, during the state assembly election counting earlier this month.

Anjani Kumar's visit to Reddy's residence, captured in photographs showing friendly exchanges, triggered social media controversy and raised concerns about potential MCC breaches. During the meeting, State police officers Sanjay Kumar Jain and Mahesh M Bhagwat accompanied the DGP.

The singular focus of the DGP's attention on a specific candidate among 2,290, who happened to be a prominent campaigner from a particular party among 16, raised suspicions of favoritism. Such circumstances prompted concerns about impartiality and adherence to the MCC, which mandates neutrality from officials during elections.

The Election Commission emphasized that such actions by the DGP could influence junior officers and viewed the meeting as a direct violation of the code. The decision to rescind the suspension follows a thorough assessment of the situation and its potential impact on electoral conduct.