Alleging violation of rules and irresponsible behaviour by the Narsipatnam RDO, who is also the Returning Officer(RO), at the postal ballot for employees and teachers held at Narsipatnam on Monday, TDP Polit Bureau member and Narsipatnam TDP-JSP-BJP candidate Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu demanded action against him.
Addressing a media conference at the TDP office here on Tuesday, Mr. Patrudu alleged that the ‘authorisation letters’ given to polling agents of political parties did not bear the signature of the RO. The name of the agent was also not mentioned in the letter. He also alleged that 15 ‘duplicate’ letters were given to the Narsipatnam Municipal Vice Chairman, Narsipatnam Town YSRCP president and some other YSRCP leaders.
When some of the employees wanted to know from the RO, whether they should put the ‘Swastik’ mark or the ‘tick’ mark on the postal ballot paper, the RO had not given them any clarity on it, and told them ‘do as they please’. He alleged that when the employees sought a written letter from the RO, he made them wait for two to three hours, and declined to give the letter.
The TDP leader said: “I complained to the Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena on the uncalled for behaviour of the RDO.” He said that Mr. Meena had chided the RDO and the Collector.
Railway zone
Replying to queries, Mr. Ayyanna Patrudu wondered as to the reason for the YSRCP MPs to remain silent when the Railway Minister said in Parliament that the State government had failed to allot 50 acres of land for construction of the railway zone headquarters in Visakhapatnam, if there was truth in the contention of the Chief Minister that the Centre was not responding to his letter on the issue.
On the YSRCP charge on change of election officials ahead of the elections, Mr. Patrudu recalled that the YSRCP government had changed the election officials ahead of the panchayat elections in the past. He quipped: “Are the rules different for them and us?”
