CEO exceeding jurisdiction: N. Chandrababu Naidu

Vijayawada: Controversy prevailed over AP CEO Gopala Krishan Dwivedi’s objection against N. Chandrababu Naidu conducting review meetings while the Model Code of Conduct is still in place.

In response to the CEO’s comments, Mr Naidu asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to instruct him and everyone else concerned to not intervene in the legitimate functioning of the elected government for the sake of the welfare of the people of AP.

He wrote a 9-page letter to the ECI in this regard.

“The comments made by the CEO despite our compliance with the various provisions of the Model Code of Conduct during the election process are not only absurd and arbitrary but also belittle the relevance and primacy of political governance in a democratic polity,” Mr Naidu said.

He explained that it is his constitutional responsibility to review the various departments and projects like drinking water, the Polavaram project, the construction of the new capital city, disaster management, etc. which are of critical public importance.

“However, I was taken aback by the comments made by the CEO, which were released to the media. Mr Dwivedi reportedly mentioned that I do not have the power to review the departments. Newspapers and news channels across Andhra Pradesh publicised his comments, disturbing not just the people’s perception of democratic governance but also the established conventions of a democratic polity. Nowhere in the Model Code of Conduct is it stated that the CM cannot hold review meetings... He is exceeding his jurisdiction,” Mr Naidu added.