Amaravati: On Tuesday evening, the Central Election Commission took a major decision, and removed the Addl. DG Intelligence AB Venkateswara Rao, SP YSR district, Rahul Dev Sharma and SP Srikakulam, Venkataratnam from Election duties, and sent them to the Police headquarters until the elections got over.

Not only did this send shock waves in political and administrative circles, but Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu went into a huddle, only to come out and take another controversial decision.

A Government Order (GO) was issued which was against the directives of the Election Commission. As per the GO, the entire State police machinery including the DGP was brought under the Election Commission purview. Till the Elections process and counting of votes are completed, the Police machinery would be working under CEC purview. But there was no clarity given about the status of the Intelligence and Counter Intelligence departments.

As per the CEC directive, a GO No 716 was issued relieving all the three officers on Tuesday. By the next morning, the TDP government issued a statement saying that the Intelligence does not come under EC ambit and cancelled the previous GO and issued a fresh GO No 720. As per the new GO it kept the Intelligence Chief Venkateswara Rao's name in abeyance and said that they were not relieving him. But YSR district SP, Rahul Dev Sharma and Srikakulam SP, Venkataratnam were relieved from their duties.

It seems to be a last resort by the TDP government to save the Intelligence chief and bring him out of the CEC purview. The Government has also filed a petition in the AP High Court challenging the CEC authority in relieving the Intelligence Chief and a letter was shot off to the Central Election Commission by Chandrababu Naidu regarding the same.

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