The Election Commission on Tuesday said it had cautioned the Telangana Chief Secretary to be careful during the ongoing Legislative Council polls and issue formal warnings to two officers for violating the Model Code of Conduct.
“The Election Commission of India has cautioned the Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana, to exercise due care in the conduct of ongoing biennial elections to the Telangana Legislative Council as expected from the officer of his stature,” an EC statement said.
The EC also directed the Chief Secretary to issue formal warnings and “displeasure of the Commission” to Municipal Administration and Urban Development Secretary C. Sudarshan Reddy and Special Chief Secretary for MA&UD Aravind Kumar “for clear violation of MCC”.
“The said officers had issued a Government of Telangana order dated November 18 for enhancement of honorarium, including conveyance allowance, to mayors, chairpersons, deputy mayors, vice-chairpersons, corporators, ward members, co-option members of urban local bodies in Telangana, who are precisely the electoral college for elections to the Telangana Legislative Council. The Commission took cognisance of the violations in observing Model Code of Conduct,” the EC said.
The elections from nine Local Authorities constituencies for 12 seats were announced by the EC on November 9. “The notification for this election was issued on November 16 and the Model Code of Conduct had come into force with immediate effect on November 9 itself.”
Polling is scheduled to take place on Friday and counting on December 14.
