VIJAYAWADA: Government advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy accused State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar of trying to terrorise and demoralise officials. “But the state shall protect them in case of any unwarranted censure,” he remarked at a press conference here on Wednesday.
Ramakrishna Reddy maintained that Ramesh Kumar issuing proceedings against panchayat raj principal secretary Gopal Krishna Dwivedi and commissioner
M. Girija Shankar are not in good taste.
Further, he pointed out that the SEC has no powers proceed against IAS officials using objectionable language. “He can at most keep them away from duties. But using remarks that may affect their career is not in good taste,” the government advisor remarked.
He accused Ramesh Kumar of misusing his powers to benefit opposition leader N. Chandrababu Naidu. “The SEC seems to be working in tandem with or to benefit Naidu, who is conspiring to create a chaotic atmosphere, instead of encouraging unanimous polls,” Ramakrishna Reddy observed.
With regard to electoral rolls, he maintained that the Central Election Commission (CEC) had released a consolidated electoral list on January 16. It would take at least two months to process these rolls at the village level.
“As the tenure of SEC Ramesh Kumar will be over by that time, he is stubborn about conducting the elections, instead of waiting for updating of electoral rolls. Now, he is trying to blame the state government over the issue of electoral rolls,” the government advisor regretted.
Recalling the 2019 election scenario, he alleged that TD chief Chandrababu Naidu, who was then Chief Minister, terrorised the same Gopal Krishna Dwivedi right in his chamber for being impartial in conducting elections.
Ramakrishna Reddy appealed to all stakeholders to strive for unanimous elections, so that rivalry and needless expenditure could be avoided. At the same time, villages would also get incentives from the government for holding unanimous elections, he added.
