The ruling YSRCP, which was worried over keeping away volunteers from election related duties with the direction of the Election Commission of India (ECI), now attempting to keep resigned volunteers as their poll agents, as they are having familiarity with the villages.
However, Citizens for Democracy leaders are expressing concern over this trend stating that it will alter the very purpose of ECI asking them to keep away from poll duties. Retired IAS officers Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar and LV Subramanyam from Citizens for Democracy met the ECI observer Ramamohan Mishra in Visakhapatnam and urged to prevent them from acting as YCP poll agents.
They asked him to ensure that the volunteers who resigned in the state do not sit as agents during the elections. They expressed concern that there is a possibility of influencing the voters if the volunteers who are resigning act as polling agents tomorrow.
Ramesh Kumar told media that in response to their complaint only ECI first directed to keep them away from poll duties and later ordered not to involve them in pension distribution. Alleging that the state government failed to take up pensions distribution with the government machinery, he said they have requested Mishra to take action to complete the distribution of pensions on the 1st and 2nd of May at least.
The former Chief Election Officer of the state Election Commission Ramesh Kumar made it clear that since the government advisers are taking public money as salary, they also come under the purview of the ECI. There are 40 advisers in AP. 13 of them have cabinet status. Salaried persons should not participate in political discussions during elections, he added.
Recalling that any employee who takes part in political activities is bound to be suspended from duty, he said that this procedure is applicable to the advisors also. He said that if the Chief Electoral Officer of the state was asked to take action against those who are doing politics, they would have asked for an explanation.
He deplored that the ECI is not acting against state government advisors, who are involved in political activities. Taking exception to the Chief Electoral Officer MK Meena simply keeping quiet by seeking clarification from the ECI, he said asking for clarifications is not the right approach during the elections.
He asserted that the election officer should act proactively and take strict action. If the EC failed to take strict action against the advisers, he said that we will file a public interest litigation.
