HYDERABAD: Election authorities served a show-cause notice on Social Welfare Minister D. S. Redya Naik on Monday under Representation of People Act for allegedly violating the election code by offering ration-cards to voters while campaigning for the Congress candidate in the Karimnagar Lok Sabha byelection.

The meeting was held at a remote village in Nerella Assembly constituency. Acting on a complaint with prima facie evidence, the Assistant Returning Officer of the Assembly constituency immediately issued the notice asking the Minister to reply by Tuesday. In another development, the Karimnagar Collector, who is the district Election and Returning Officer, issued a similar notice this morning to R. D. Wilson, Chairman, AP Scheduled Castes Cooperative Finance Corporation. According to a complaint, he too had addressed an election meeting and promised loans for SCs if they voted for the Congress. He was asked to explain within 24-hours as to why action should not be taken against him under the Act.

Action against Animal Husbandry Minister G. Surya Rao, however, has reportedly been dropped by the election authorities following an explanation by him. The Minister had summoned a district officer and reviewed departmental matters at his guesthouse at Vizianagaram in Bobbli Lok Sabha Parliamentary constituency. In his reply, he said that he had called the officer to ascertain the reasons why some 1,000 sheep had perished in the area. "It was a public issue. I wanted to know the real situation," the Minister said. The authorities were "satisfied" with his version.

Cricket kits' case

Meanwhile, the two persons arrested in connection with the seizure of cricket kits were yet to make a statement before magistrate. A Telugu Desam delegation met Chief Electoral Officer V. Bhaskar demanding action against Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy for his announcements on Sunday promising loans to farmers at "pavala vaddi"(three per cent per year) and houses for Government employees, which amo- unted to allurement of voters.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail