TDP candidate from Mangalagiri Assembly constituency N. Lokesh has 23 criminal cases pending against him, said his declaration published in some newspapers on May 5 (Sunday). The TDP national general secretary made the declaration in compliance with the judgments of the Supreme Court in the Public Interest Foundation of India and Others versus Union of India, Lok Prahari versus Union of lndia and other cases.
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Notable among them is a case booked under the IIPC and Prevention of Corruption Act on charges of conspiring in designing the Master Plan for capital region of Andhra Pradesh, and alignment of the Amaravati inner ring road and connected arterial roads to cause wrongful gain to certain indivisuals.
The other cases pertain to posting a message on social media, criticising Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy and former Minister P. Anil Kumar Yadav, thereby allegedly causing anguish to the YSRCP activists and the Yadava community.
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Mr. Lokesh has another case of unlawful assembly, shouting slogans against the State government and obstructing the police from discharging their duties, a case under the SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act, several cases for violating the COVID-19 guidelines under the IPC and Epidemic Diseases Act of 1987.\
The other cases include showing dishonest intention to create disturbances between some parties, conducting public meetings without the necessary clearances and violating the orders of superior officers thereof, and blocking traffic on Kanaka Durga Varadhi in Vijayawada.
ECI guidelines
It may be noted that the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued guidelines on publishing criminal antecedents by political parties and candidates on March 18, in pursuance of the judgements of the apex court in Format C-1 (TV and newspapers).