Salem collector V Sampath, who got into a controversy a few months ago after he stated that the district received widespread rainfall on the orders of chief minister J Jayalalithaa, has been shunted out from the post by the Election Commission of India.
His successor D Karthikeyan, who was functioning as commissioner of the archaeology department, took charge as the collector on Sunday. A 1997 batch IAS officer, Karthikeyan had served as Coimbatore and Chennai corporation commissioner before assuming charge as collector of Erode in 2007.
Sources say that Sampath was transferred following complaints about his functioning with regard to the elections. Sampath had taken charge as collector of Salem barely 10 months ago. He hit the headlines during the monsoons last year, when he said the widespread rains experienced in Salem were due to "honourable chief minister's order".
Controversy did not leave Sampath. In February, a reporter with a Tamil daily lodged a police complaint, which he later withdrew, alleging that the staff accompanying the collector assaulted him when he was covering the official's visit to a cinema hall in Athur.
DMK men alleged that the district administration was acting in favour of the ruling AIADMK after the election model code of conduct came into force.
DMK subsequently started sending a barrage of complaints against Sampath accusing him of being biased.
Salem superintendent of police G Subbulakshmi has also been transferred on Saturday. She has been replaced by Amit Kumar Singh who is likely to take charge on Monday.
His successor D Karthikeyan, who was functioning as commissioner of the archaeology department, took charge as the collector on Sunday. A 1997 batch IAS officer, Karthikeyan had served as Coimbatore and Chennai corporation commissioner before assuming charge as collector of Erode in 2007.
Sources say that Sampath was transferred following complaints about his functioning with regard to the elections. Sampath had taken charge as collector of Salem barely 10 months ago. He hit the headlines during the monsoons last year, when he said the widespread rains experienced in Salem were due to "honourable chief minister's order".
Controversy did not leave Sampath. In February, a reporter with a Tamil daily lodged a police complaint, which he later withdrew, alleging that the staff accompanying the collector assaulted him when he was covering the official's visit to a cinema hall in Athur.
DMK men alleged that the district administration was acting in favour of the ruling AIADMK after the election model code of conduct came into force.
DMK subsequently started sending a barrage of complaints against Sampath accusing him of being biased.
Salem superintendent of police G Subbulakshmi has also been transferred on Saturday. She has been replaced by Amit Kumar Singh who is likely to take charge on Monday.