EC issues notices to Pragati Bhavan for hosting party-related events on premises

Hyderabad: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vikas Raj on Friday issued notice to Pragathi Bhavan officials, seeking information on a complaint lodged by the Congress that ‘B Forms’ had been handed over to BRS candidates at the Chief Minister’s official camp office-cum-residence, in violation of the model code of conduct.

The notice was served by Hyderabad district election officer D. Ronald Rose, the GHMC commissioner.

Earlier in the day, the Congress had lodged a fresh complaint with the Election Commission against Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for violating the model code of conduct by issuing the ‘Form B’ to party candidates at Pragathi Bhavan.

In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, TPCC senior vice-president G. Niranjan said Pragathi Bhavan was a public property and should not be used for political purposes, as per the election code. The Congress had lodged a similar complaint with EC on this issue on October 16.

Niranjan submitted the details of BRS candidates who received the Form B from the CM in Pragathi Bhavan, including ministers K.T. Rama Rao and T. Harish Rao and Palla Rajeshwar Reddy on October 15 and 29 others on October 16.

Vikas Raj and Ronald Rose refused to comment on the serving of notice on Pragathi Bhavan officials.