Amid AAP complaint, EC orders removal of ‘IPS’ from Kerala BJP candidate’s posters

The Election Commission of India has directed that the title “IPS” be removed from the campaign material of former police officer R. Sreelekha, who is contesting the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation election from the Sasthamangalam ward as a candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The decision came after a complaint by T. S. Reshmi of the Aam Aadmi Party, who maintained that continuing to use the “IPS” designation after retirement was not permitted.

Acting on this, the Commission instructed that the title be taken off posters in multiple locations. In a few places where the material remained, party workers later altered it to read “retired IPS.”

Sreelekha, who has served as a Director General of Police and is Kerala’s first woman IPS officer, said that the change made little difference because, in her view, the public was already well aware of her background, Maktoob Media reported.

The directive and the consequent changes amounted to a procedural setback for her campaign, noting that dropping the service title could influence how voters view her candidature in the civicrace.