High Court directs AP to send fresh appeal to ECI on welfare funds

The court posted the next hearing on the matter to May 9.

A single judge bench headed by Justice B. Krishna Mohan heard during lunch motion a batch of petitions challenging the ECI’s order denying permission for release of input subsidy worth ₹847.22 crore to affected farmers, Vidya Deevena funds of ₹610.79 crore for the benefit of students and YSR Cheyutha funds meant for women.

Petitioners’ counsel C.V. Mohan Reddy submitted that the state government provides input subsidy to farmers who lose crops due to natural calamities, so that they can resume farm works and cultivate crops.

The counsel submitted that due to drought during Kharif 2023, state government had decided to provide input subsidy of ₹847.22 crore. But after the Model Code of Conduct came into force, the state government, as stipulated, sought permission from the ECI to release the input subsidy.

The petitioners’ counsel sought the High Court’s intervention after the ECI refused to permit the release of input subsidy.

With regard to the Vidya Deevena scheme, the senior counsel submitted that by March 1, state government transferred only ₹97.89 crore of the total ₹708 crore to be released to bank accounts of the beneficiary students’ mothers. ECI also denied permission for distributing the remaining amount of ₹610.79 crore.

The counsel informed the court that non-release of the remaining Vidya Deevena amount is causing severe hardships to students and their mothers and sought the intervention of the High Court in the matter.

Advocate general S. Sriram, representing the state government, submitted to the High Court that the input subsidy and Vidya Deevena are not new schemes, as the state government had been implementing them for quite some time. He contended that the poll code will be applicable only for new schemes and not for the existing schemes.

ECI’s counsel Avinash Desai justified the ECI’s decision to deny permission for release of funds stating that such a decision has been taken in compliance with the norms of the poll code. Desai suggested that a fresh representation may be submitted by the state government with regard to the input subsidy and Vidya Deevena, explaining why these could not wait until completion of the polls, so that the ECI could review its decision.

After hearing both the parties, the High Court directed the ECI to mention how it proceeds after receipt of fresh representation from the state government for release of funds. The court then posted the next hearing to Thursday 10.30 a.m.