Vijayawada: In an unprecedented move, the AP State Election Commission has directed the director-general of police to confine minister for panchayat raj and rural development Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy to his residential premises till the completion of gram panchayat polls on February 21.
The SEC took serious note of the minister's warning to District Collectors and Returning Officers in the state not to obey SEC's instructions. The minister allegedly threatened to blacklist them if they follow his instructions, especially with regard to prevention of forced unanimous elections. The minister also said that while the present election commissioner would be in power till March 31, 2021, their government would continue beyond it and asked the returning officers to disregard the election commissioner’s directions and declare all unanimous elections. The minister was also quoted as saying that the election commissioner was doing so to gain MP/MLC seat from Telugu Desam Party.
The state election commissioner issued the order on Saturday to confine the minister to his residential premises with no access to media so as to prevent him from making inciteful utterances that could have an adverse impact on ongoing polls, and also on general law and order situation in Chittoor district and elsewhere.
The election commissioner said that the intention for issuing such an order was to carry out the mandate given to the SEC to hold free and fair elections and to insulate the District Collectors and Returning Officers from fear psychosis emanating due to the threats and warnings issued by the minister through the media and also to enable the electorate to exercise their franchise freely uninfluenced by threats and intimidation.
The SEC’s order will come into effect immediately.
