By IANS,
Hyderabad : A day after the Election Commission of India issued notice to another minister for poll code violations ahead of the May 29 by-elections, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Tuesday asked his ministers to be careful.
Addressing a meeting of party leaders in Karimnagar, Reddy, or YSR as he is known, asked ministers to follow strictly the code of conduct and avoid any confrontation with the Election Commission. “The election code should always be at the back of your mind. There should no violations of the code, not even minor violations.”
The commission Monday issued notice to Rural Development Minister G. Chinna Reddy and legislator S. Sudhakar Reddy for allegedly holding a meeting in a school building in Mahabubnagar in violation of the code and for forcing the local officials to attend the meet.
The minister has also been charged with using more vehicles in his convoy than prescribed for campaigning. The poll panel asked the Mahabubnagar district collector and superintendent of police to explain why they failed to take action.
The election code is in force in 10 districts, where by-elections to four Lok Sabha and 18 assembly seats are scheduled to be held May 29.
Chinna Reddy is the second minister to get the Commission’s notice. Earlier, Minister for Agriculture N. Raghuveera Reddy was pulled up for making derogatory remarks about the panel.
The panel Monday asked the Adilabad district collector to submit a report on whether the chief minister announced sanction of 1.6 million new pensions while campaigning in the district.
Cracking the whip, the commission also transferred returning officer and deputy superintendent of police in Dichpally in Nizamabad district for allowing more people in the office during filing of nominations. Only five people are allowed to accompany a candidate during filing of papers.
It also took serious note of the state government’s action in giving a clean chit to IAS official Praveen Prakash, who was transferred as Ranga Reddy district collector earlier this month by the panel for code violations in the past. The commission asked the government to clarify why it dropped disciplinary action against the official without informing it.
Meanwhile, the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has complained to the commission that Home Minister K. Jana Reddy and major Irrigation Minister P. Lakshmaiah held an election meeting in a school.