Wednesday, March 22 2006 18:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The Election Commission today (Mar 22 2006) told the Madras High Court it had ordered transfer of city police chief R Natraj keeping in mind the "public perception of neutrality" in the light of his reported remarks about Chief Minister J Jayalalitha.

It said elections were not only to be conducted in a free and fair manner but also perceived as such.

The EC made the submission in a counter to petitions filed by the Tamil Nadu government and others challenging its order for transfer of Natraj for his remarks on Jayalalithaa in an interview to a daily in connection with International Women's Day.

"The Commission is of the view that officers dealing with elections should not only be impartial in their acts, but also should do nothing that can impinge upon their impartial conduct", the EC affidavit filed by Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta said.

It said the transfer was ordered after considering the issue in all aspects as the officer (Natraj) by his "Own statement showed a positive leaning towards a particular leader of the ruling party. His impartiality, objectivity and nutrality definitely comes under question."

If it had not sought the transfer of Natraj after his public statement, it would have created serious concern in the minds of the people about the impartiality of the police machinery in the city, the counter said.

The EC had no reason to change its earlier decision when it received a letter from the Tamil Nadu government seeking a review of the directive, it added.