The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Kadapa LS by-poll: 11 candidates ‘dummies'

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Tuesday, May 03, 2011
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Kadapa LS by-poll: 11 candidates ‘dummies'

Special Correspondent

EC serves notices on Congress candidate D.L. Ravindra Reddy and YSR Congress candidate Jagan

Inquiry ordered by the district election officer into the alleged bulk purchase of vehicles
DEO asked to identify recipients of the vehicles after getting the details from dealers

HYDERABAD: The Election Commission has issued notices on 11 independent candidates in Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency after considering them to be dummies canvassing for other candidates, including Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy and D.L. Ravindra Reddy.

It also issued notices to Congress candidate Dr. Ravindra Reddy and YSR Congress candidate Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy asking them why the expenditure incurred by the dummies on vehicles should not be included in their expenditure.

Withdrawing facilities

Among the “non-serious” candidates, Chilkampalli Jaganmohan Reddy and Kondu Jaganmohan Reddy, were found to be campaigning for Dr. Ravindra Reddy and K. Suresh Babu, Shaik Mohd Shafi, and Bandi Ashok for Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy.

Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwar Lal told reporters here on Monday that pending explanations by them, the polling and counting agents for the dummies would be withdrawn, as also all other facilities extended to them.

He said he had ordered an inquiry by the district election officer (DEO) into the alleged bulk purchase of vehicles and their distribution to local leaders for campaigning. The DEO had been asked to identify recipients of these vehicles after getting the details from the dealers/sellers in Kadapa area.

He said Kondu Jaganmohan Reddy was an engineering student but he had hired and supplied 25 vehicles for canvassing for Dr. Ravindra Reddy.

The CEO said 14 persons were injured in the 15 incidents of violence since the campaigning began. Till now, 305 vehicles and Rs 2.21 crore in cash were seized. Also, 240 arms licences in the district had been impounded and 10,540 persons bound over.

Paid news

In respect of paid news, as many as 39 notices were served on Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy followed by seven to Vijayamma, four to TDP candidate M.V. Mysoora Reddy, three to Dr. Ravindra Reddy, and two to Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy. Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy submitted replies to nine notices and they had been forwarded to EC.

Mr. Bhanwar Lal ruled out the possibility of using closed circuit cameras inside polling stations instead of web cameras as planned for webcasting on the polling day. CC cameras would require a higher bandwidth, he explained.

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