An editorial in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece "Samana", was particularly critical of the manner in which the Thane police commissioner D Shivanandan, Municipal commissioner of Thane and Kalyan-Dombivili Municipal corporation R D Shinde and other senior officials were transferred just days before the by-election.
"The manner in which state government has transferred these officials only shows their disregard for election commission's code of conduct", the editorial said.
The Thane Lok Sabha by-election has become a "prestige" issue for the Congress-NCP combine and for this they are ready to do anything to win, said the editorial adding that this would result in misuse of police machinery and therefore it is doubtful whether the election would be free and fair.
The whole idea of changing an upright officer like Shivanandan was to replace him with pliable officers who would toe the line of Congress-NCP, the editorial said.
The election code of conduct is more often talked about than observed as it is money power, crime and corruption which calls the shot in an election, it said.
"It is unfortunate that ministers, who talk about 'Satyameva Jayate' at other times, completely forget its significance when elections are round the corner", it added.
