AP Elections: SEC issues gag order on minister Kodali Sri Venkeshwara Rao

Vijayawada: The State Election Commission on Friday imposed a gag order on civil supplies minister Kodali Sri Venkeshwara Rao until the completion of gram panchayat polls on February 21.

State Election Commissioner N. Ramesh Kumar in the order issued stated that the SEC was not satisfied with the explanation given by the minister. Accordingly, the SEC issued an order restraining the minister from speak to the media, to any group or groups of people or in meetings until the completion of the elections.

The SEC said that the order would come into effect immediately and directed the Krishna district collector and the superintendent of police Krishna (Rural) district and the Vijayawada police commissioner to ensure enforcement of the order.

Earlier, the SEC had served a show-cause notice on the minister for making allegedly derogatory remarks against Kumar during his press conference earlier in the day. The utterances were lowering the stature of the SEC and the public standing of the election commissioner, it said.

It held that the minister’s comments were made with a malicious intent, which was noticed while watching the footage of his media conference.