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Tuesday, May 20, 2008
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EC cracks whip in A.P.

Special Correspondent

Faults YSR’s promise on pensions; Minister, MLA issued notices

Swarna Sudhakar

G. Chinna Reddy

HYDERABAD: Cracking the whip once again, the Election Commission (EC) on Monday ordered action in three different cases of model code violations involving Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Rural Development Minister G. Chinna Reddy, a Congress MLA S. Swarna Sudhakar and two officials.

Besides, the EC reopened the old case against IAS officer Praveen Prakash, for his action in shifting returning officer (RO) of the Visakhapatnam II Assembly constituency during 2006 byelections.

The EC asked the Adilabad district Collector to submit a report for action, on the announcement purportedly made by the Chief Minister at an election meeting on Sunday in Khanapur Assembly constituency that his government would issue another 15 lakh pensions to the poor.

An inquiry had also been ordered to ascertain if the Chief Minister addressed an election meeting in Nizamabad beyond the stipulated time-limit of 10 pm recently.

After going through video footage, the EC ordered the transfer of the Returning Officer of Dichpalli Assembly constituency along with the local Deputy Superintendent of Police for allowing more than five persons and more than three vehicles in the case of all candidates at the time of filing nominations. Chief Electoral Officer I. V. Subba Rao told reporters that disciplinary action would also be launched against these officials.

The government on Monday evening posted M. Narsinga Rao as Returning Officer of Dichpalli Assembly constituency and S. Muralidhar as Deputy Superintendent of Police after transferring the incumbents, Mr. Chandrasekhar and Mr. K. Anjaneyulu, for allowing candidates to violate the poll code.

Mr. Chinna Reddy and Ms. Swarna Sudhakar were served notices for holding an election meeting in a Government school at Karukonda in Jadcherla constituency in Mahabubnagar district and at an Anjaneya temple on May 16.

In this case, even the district Collector and its SP have been asked to explain.

Mr. Rao said a complaint was lodged against Ministers K. Jana Reddy (Home) and Ponnala Lakshmaiah (Major Irrigation) alleging that they had also held an election meeting in a Government school in Warangal district. But the Central observer and the district Collector had clarified that it was held on a private land adjacent to the school.

Case reopened

Inquiry against Praveen Prakash at that time was held by the State government at the instance of the EC. The government later closed the case on its own being “satisfied” with the findings. Reopening the case now, the EC directed that it was the Commission which should be satisfied with the findings and close the case.

The Commission ordered that all records pertaining to Mr. Praveen Prakash’s case be forwarded to it for a final decision.

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