On Saturday, members of the Andhra Pradesh (AP) IPS Officers’ Association approached Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena, an IPS officer of 1989 batch, to present their grievance.

The officers highlighted a troubling trend where over 30 IPS members have faced undue scrutiny and defamation in the past two months, attributing this to deliberate slander from certain political entities and interest groups.

During their meeting with CEO Mukesh Kumar Meena, the officers, including key figures from the association, voiced concerns over unfounded accusations levied by leaders of some political factions and certain media outlets. These accusations unfairly targeted high-ranking officials, including the Director-General of Police, the Additional DGP (Intelligence), and the Superintendents of Police for Nellore and Kurnool districts, as well as officers in charge during the Prime Minister’s visit to the state.

The association detailed how these political figures lodged unsubstantiated complaints against them with the Chief Election Commission, the Election Commission of India in New Delhi, and the AP’s CEO. They also pointed out the prejudiced behavior of some media outlets towards IAS and IPS officers assigned by the ECI, noting this bias was evident even before the officers commenced their new roles.

This situation has placed a considerable strain on the officers, forcing them into a position where they feel compelled to defend their integrity constantly. The leaders of the association have called on the Election Commission to intervene and address the spread of such unfounded and harmful narratives, aiming to protect the officers from further baseless attacks and preserve the sanctity of their roles.