Sena,BJP protest election security handover to Roy

A day after the government announced the appointment of former DGP A N Roy as the state police incharge for the election process,Opposition parties Shiv Sena and Bhartiya Janata Party opposed his appointment claiming that he would favour the ruling parties. The state government has,with the approval of the Election Commission,appointed Roy as the DGP for the election period instead of incumbent Maharashtra DGP S S Virk.

Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe expressed the partys displeasure at Roys appointment. She said the party would explore all means to get the decision revoked. We will approach the Election Commission to express our displeasure, said Gorhe. BJP state chief Nitin Gadkari said that Roys removal as state chief was mired in controversy and he should not have been appointed at this juncture.

This is the second time this year that Virk has been divested of the responsibility of holding security charge during elections. During the Lok Sabha elections in April-May,the EC had appointed Suprakash Chakravarty as Director General of Police for election-related security. Virk had been appointed Maharashtra DGP in place of Roy,whose appointment had been challenged by Chakravarty,who has since,retired. Virk had been granted an extension till the end of October after his term expired last month.

While Roy has been entrusted with election-related security,Virk continues to be the overall state in charge. Additional Chief Secretary Home Chandra Iyengar confirmed that Roy had been appointed the DGP for election charges till the conclusion of elections for the Assembly.