Hyderabad: In a setback to the TRS caretaker government ahead of the Assembly polls, the Election Commission has denied permission for distribution of Bathukamma saris ahead of the festival.
With this, it is believed that the EC would also deny permission for distribution of the Rs 4,000 per acre per season Rythu Bandhu cheques to farmers.
The state government had made all arrangements to distribute over 95 lakh saris from October 12 as a gift to women from the government for the Bathukamma festival.
All the saris were produced in the Sircilla powerloom cluster at a cost of Rs 280 crore. Each sari cost Rs 290 this year.
Caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and textiles minister K.T. Rama Rao had earlier said that there would be no hurdles to the distribution of Bathukamma saris and Rythu Bandhu cheques because they were old schemes and the government was only continuing them.
Opposition had complained to Election Commission
In a setback to the TRS caretaker government ahead of the Assembly polls, the Election Commission has denied permission for distribution of Bathukamma saris ahead of the festival.
However, all the Opposition parties complained to the EC arguing that the handouts would influence voters ahead of the Assembly polls and the distribution would be in violation of the model code of conduct.
With this, chief electoral officer Rajat Kumar wrote to the Election Commission seeking clarification on the Bathukamma saris. The poll panel issued an order signed by Mr K.P. Singh, undersecretary of the Election Commission, which stated: “I am directed to refer to your letter dated September 28, 2018, and to state that the Commission has not permitted the distribution of saris on the occasion of Bathukamma Festival on October 12, 2018.”
