Amaravati: SEC & YSRCP tug-of-war continues

Amaravati: The war of words between State Election Commissioner N Ramesh Kumar and the leaders of YSRCP does not seem to end.

While the SEC wrote a letter to Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan complaining against Ministers -- Peddyreddy Ramachandra Reddy, Botsa Satyanarayana and advisor to the government Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy -- for passing remarks against him violating model code of conduct, YSRCP leaders like Vijay Sai Reddy felt that the SEC had "lost his mental balance."

The SEC said that the statements of MP Vijay Sai Reddy were also in violation of code of conduct. The SEC stated that he has no other alternative left but to approach constitutional court to remedy the gross injustice. But before doing so he wants to bring to the notice of the Governor to advise them to refrain from indulging in such attacks.

In his letter, the SEC stated that Sajjala is a public servant drawing salary and allowances from the Government and is bound by the conduct governing public office. Being a public servant he can't brazenly and blatantly hold party brief and indulge in political activity and in the process attack a constitutional authority even after a caveat in the form of the Supreme Court's judgement.

His mala fides are conflict of interest are apparent and he shall be dismissed forthwith as advisor in public interest.

The SEC wrote another letter to Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das seeking action against Principal Secretary (pol) GAD Praveen Prakash as he failed to implement the proceedings of SEC, which has written to the Government with regard to taking action against some officers earlier who had come under the adverse notice of the Election Commission.

The SEC stated that Principal Secretary Praveen Prakash chose not to do so and deliberately has not implemented specific directions of the Commission which are of a time-bound nature. The officers are allowed to continue and discharge their functions at a critical stage when they should have been kept away.

He said that the SEC deems the above as deliberate failure as well as due to the intransigent attitude on the part of the General Administration (pol) Department headed by Praveen Prakash. The GAD also seems to have instructed the Collectors and SPs not to participate in the SEC meetings and not to cooperate with the poll process as well.

The SEC said that the Commission has come to the conclusion that Praveen Prakash's continuance is prejudicial to free-and- fair relation. Hence the SEC invokes plenary powers under Article 243 read with Article 324 to transfer Praveen Prakash to ensure free-and-fair elections.

He is barred during the course of elections to interact with district collectors and Superintendents of Police directly or indirectly deal with matters relating to elections.