CEC OP Rawat asks political parties to follow election code

Hyderabad: Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat has directed all political parties to strictly follow the model code of conduct in the elections. The CEC has warned of serious action if liquor and money are used to bribe voters.

The 11-member CEC team headed by Mr Rawat began its three-day visit by holding discussions with recognised parties.

BJP leaders N. Indrasena Reddy and Bala Subramanyam said they were apprehensive that the TRS and other parties may resort to large-scale distribution of illegal money. They said money was being transported in ambulances, media vans, RTC buses and those carrying cash for ATMs. 

They alleged that due to the negligence, or ineffectiveness of officials, serious lapses had occurred in the voters list, identifying polling centres, and creating geotagging zones. They alleged that a large number of bogus votes were registered in Hyderabad. They alleged that about 500 intelligence officers from AP had been deployed in TS.

The Congress’s Marri Sashidhar Reddy complained that government officials had misled the court with regard to the voters list on his petition regarding irregularities. He alleged that caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was interfering in election-related issues, and that political parties have not been provided the final voters' list.

MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said their proposals on changing the location of some polling stations of the the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency limits to correct the anomalies were not considered by elections officials. 

CPI’s Chada Venkata Reddy and CPM leader N Narasimha Reddy also complained about polling stations, voters list and distribution of money and liquor. TRS MP B Vinod Kumar also met the CEC.  

Later, Mr Rawat held a review meeting with the Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar.