Minister Anil Kumar Yadav finds fault with SEC for transferring officials

Amaravati: Minister for Water Resources Anil Kumar Yadav questioned how the State Election Commissioner N Ramesh Kumar could transfer the IAS and IPS officers even after postponing the local body elections.

Addressing a press conference at YSRCP headquarters at Tadepalli in Guntur district on Monday, he alleged that the SEC acted upon the directions of TDP chief and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and postponed the local body elections.

The SEC did not have powers to transfer or take action against the government officials, when the Model Code of Conduct is not in force. The Minister said that as soon as the SEC postponed the elections, the MCC would not be applicable in the State.

On this grounds, the SEC violated the election rules and raised doubts over his discharge of duties in the conduct of elections, the Minister said.

There is no widespread panic situation in the State due to the COVID-19, claimed the Minister. He said that without consulting the State government, the SEC took unilateral decision and postponed the local body elections.

He observed that if the elections are continued, then they will be completed within the next 15 days.

He criticised that the SEC did not even consult the Health and Medical department officials and took the decision to defer the polls.