KCR, KTR gets EC notice for election code violation

Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a notice to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao, citing a violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and also its president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, for alleged violation of election code.

The notice served to KTR is based on a complaint by Congress. The allegation is that KTR, during his visit to the T-work office in Hyderabad on November 20, was seen using the government office for political gains.

The complaint detailed that KTR interacted with a large number of youths at the T-work office, making promises to fill government jobs within T-Works, the ECI, in its notice to KTR, wrote, “ … you are expected to follow the provisions of the MCC and ECI’s instructions during the election campaigning and … the Commission has, prima facie, held that by visiting a government institution and using the platform of T-works for political activities and combining your official visit with political/private visit, you have violated the above said instruction of the Model Code of Conduct.”

The ECI has asked KTR to furnish a response by 3 pm on the following Sunday, detailing the need for immediate clarification and adherence to the electoral norms.

Campaigning for the November 30 polls ends in the evening of November 28.

As far as Chief Minister is asking him to follow the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct in “letter and spirit”.

On October 30, Rao made certain threatening remarks against the Congress leadership in the Banswada constituency of the southern state following an attack on a member of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), led by him.

A National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) leader had approached the poll panel against Rao.

“You are hereby advised to follow the provisions of the MCC in letter and spirit,” the advisory read.

It reminded the BRS leader that the EC had instructed that all the political parties, their leaders in all capacities and the contesting candidates must observe utmost restraint and decency in their speeches and set an example in maintaining high standards of conduct and behaviour during poll campaigning.