Hyderabad: The state police has sent notices to 33 politicians including Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to pay driver and fuel charges for the bulletproof vehicles that were used for non-official purposes when the model code of conduct was in place during the Assembly elections.
Director-General of Police M. Mahendar Reddy said that the Election Commission had stated that while political functionaries would be provided with bullet resistant cars on security considerations, the ‘cost of propulsion’ during the period of operation of model code of conduct should be borne by the person concerned when it is used for non-official purposes.
The cost of propulsion includes fuel charges and driver allowance. Mr Mahendar Reddy said the charges were worked out on the basis of distance covered.
Apart from Mr Rao, the functionaries include former speaker P. Mad-husudhan Chary, former ministers, Congress leaders including Mr K. Jana Reddy, BJP leader G. Kishan Reddy, and MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, the DGP said.
The amount claimed ranged from '53,000 in the case of TRS leader Errabelli Dayakar Rao to '7.7 lakh for former minister Mahender Reddy, depending on the distance covered, Mr Mahendar Reddy said.
He said the details of the travel by the funcationaries during the model code of conduct from September 6 to December 7 were recorded in diaries maintained by the drivers, and the charges calculated.
“Accordingly, letters have been addressed to all the political functionaries and to the party offices in case of star campaigners for payment of propulsion charges,” Mr Mahendar Reddy said.
