Tirupattur Returning Officer replaces election flying squad team that was found sleeping while on duty

The Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) and Returning Officer (RO) for Tirupattur Assembly constituency S. Varadharajan on Tuesday has replaced a four-member Flying Squad Team (FST) with a new team after the former was caught sleeping on election duty.

Election officials said that the FST members were relieved of their election duties after the video of them sleeping in the transport vehicle went viral on social media, inviting public outcry over the incident.

The order to relieve the FST of their election duties was based on a direction by Collector and District Election Officer (DEO), K. Sivasoundaravalli. “The said FST members, who were relieved of election duties, were asked to return to their original government departments to resume work there. Any lapses of election work will not be tolerated,” Mr. Varadharajan told The Hindu.

Election officials said the team was part of 76 FST teams formed by the District Election Officer to monitor all four Assembly constituencies in the district such as Tirupattur, Jolarpet, Vaniyambadi, and Ambur.

Each team consists of an election officer, special sub-inspector, a constable and a videographer with a vehicle driver. The election officer could be from any of the government departments. The election vehicle is fitted with a GPS and can be tracked at the control room in the District Collectorate, RO and Assistant RO offices in the district.

In Tirupattur Assembly constituency, 18 FST and Static Surveillance Teams (SST) are on duty to enforce MCC guidelines. The SST teams are restricted to monitor border areas of the district whereas FST teams focus on key arterial stretches, intersections, and isolated rural roads, mainly to prevent cash flow that could be reportedly meant for distribution to voters.