The State Election Commission (SEC) has stated that it has no objection to the continuation of various activities initiated by the government under the ‘Navaratnalu - Pedalandariki Illu’, a housing programme.
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In a letter to Principal Secretary (Land-1) on Friday, SEC Secretary S. Ramsunder Reddy said that in the light of the Supreme Court ruling on March 18 and the government’s request, the SEC “conveys its no objection for the same.”
The SEC had earlier restrained the government from carrying out all housing-related activities, including the scheduled distribution of house-site pattas on Ugadi, till the completion of the process of elections to the local bodies keeping the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in view.
The SEC had stated that the code came into force on March 7, and announcement of new schemes, or implementation of the existing ones, in a manner that would have a bearing on the outcome of elections amounts to violating the code.
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Subsequently, the SEC’s decision was challenged in the Supreme Court, which directed the election body to lift the MCC and reimpose it four weeks prior to the date when elections would be notified.
The apex court also said that activities that were suspended on account of the MCC shall not be interrupted further until the code was reimposed.
The State government has geared itself up to distribute 26.6 lakh house-site pattas to the poor on Ugadi, the Telugu new year. The government plans to construct houses for those who already own a house site. Houses will be constructed even for those who will be given pattas under the programme.