The Hindu : Front Page : EC serves notice on Chief Minister

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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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EC serves notice on Chief Minister

Special Correspondent

Finds Naidu guilty of poll code violation, admonishes him

HYDERABAD: The Election Commission (EC) has finally served a notice on Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy for violating the model code of conduct by addressing an election meeting in a Government junior college at Khanapur in Adilabad district on May 17.

It has asked him to show cause by Wednesday noon why action should not be initiated against him.

Simultaneously, the Commission virtually admonished Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu after finding him guilty of breaching the code.

It concluded that he had crossed the 10 p.m. deadline for campaigning at a meeting at Rajapur in Jadcherla constituency in Mahabubnagar district on May 19.

Hand-held mike

The EC cautioned Mr. Naidu to be more careful in future so that there would be neither violation of its standing orders nor scope for any complaint.

The TDP president, in his reply to the EC’s notice, explained that his meeting was attended by only 150-200 people and he had used only a hand-held mike and not loud speakers.

In respect of the Chief Minister, the Commission found prima facie, after an inquiry by election officials, that three lapses were committed at Khanapur.

It was held in a Government institution, no permission was taken from the police and a portion of the compound wall demolished to facilitate the public meeting.

Chief Electoral Officer I. V. Subba Rao told reporters here that the Khanapur police had booked a case on May 17 itself for organising the meeting without permission under Sections 427 (causing damage to public property) and 448 (trespass) read with section 188 of IPC.

He said details were still being gathered about the promise purportedly made by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar that the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy would be announced within the next few days.

The National Academy of Agricultural Research & Management (NAARM) had been asked to hand over recordings of his speech, he added.

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