Date:21/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/21/stories/2008052152620600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

YSR gets clean chit from Election Commission

Special Correspondent

He was accused of announcing pension
A reported CMO note under the scanner

HYDERABAD: The election authorities have found that there was no violation of the model code of conduct for the byelections by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy in his speech in the Khanapur Assembly constituency in Adilabad district on Sunday.

They came to this conclusion after the Adilabad Collector, who is also the District Election Officer, and later the Chief Electoral Officer, Subba Rao, watched video clippings of the Chief Minister’s speech in which he was accused of announcing pension to an additional 15 lakh people. The Election Commission was informed about their conclusions. Mr. Subba Rao, however, said that a press note reportedly issued by the Chief Minister’s office the same day on the subject appeared to have been aimed at influencing the voters. He would ascertain whether the Chief Minister’s office was indeed the source.

Meanwhile, the crackdown on those responsible for violation of the election code continued on Tuesday. A notice has been served on Konda Surekha, Congress candidate in Hanamkonda Parliamentary constituency, for addressing a campaign meeting without permission at Julywada in Warangal. The CEO also ordered revenue officials to conduct survey of land where this meeting was held to determine whether it was privately owned or belonged to the government. Two Ministers, K. Jana Reddy and Ponnala Lakshmaiah, were served notices by the Commission on why they held this meeting in a government school.

However, the Warangal Collector clarified that the land on which the meeting was held did not belong to the school.

Meanwhile, Mr. Subba Rao ordered an enquiry into a complaint by the Telugu Desam Party that Finance Minister K. Rosaiah had influenced voters.