New Delhi, Nov 21 (PTI) The TDP on Tuesday approached the Election Commission alleging that a “big fraud” is being committed in the preparation of electoral rolls in Andhra Pradesh at the behest of the ruling YSRCP and demanded a revision of the voters’ list.
Rebel YSRCP MP Raghu Rama Krishna Raju also approached the poll panel with a similar complaint.
Interestingly, both the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) delegation and the rebel MP reached the Election Commission’s office here almost at the same time but submitted their memoranda separately.
TDP leader Payyavula Kesav later told reporters, “A big fraud is happening in the preparation of electoral rolls. The YSRCP government led by Jagan Mohan Reddy is coercing the district administration and the officers to listen to their dictum and remove the TDP voters (from the list).” “We came here to request the Election Commission to look into this gross violation and rectify them before giving a final shape to the voters’ list,” he said.
“We have given a classic evidence in this matter,” Kesav added, without elaborating.
He said the TDP delegation, during its meeting with the poll panel officials, flagged as many as 17 violations in the preparation of the electoral rolls in the state and said, “We have requested for the appointment of all-India service officers as observers to the state of Andhra Pradesh, one officer for each district, for the preparation of electoral rolls.” “The EC has responded positively. They said they will visit the state of Andhra Pradesh,” the TDP leader added.
Speaking to reporters outside the Election Commission’s office, rebel YSRCP MP Raghu Rama Krishna Raju alleged gross irregularity in the preparation of electoral rolls and said that in his representation, he has “clearly highlighted the modus operandi as to how the names of the voters are being removed”.
“Though I am from the ruling party, given the way things are going on, I felt annoyed and in view of the good democratic principles, I just met Senior Deputy Chief Election Commissioner (Nitesh Kumar) Vyas and submitted a representation,” he told reporters.
“He said that after elections in five states are over, we will pay a visit to Andhra Pradesh and get to know about the grievances directly from the public,” Raju said, adding, “I am very sure that they are going to take tough action against these kinds of wrongdoing.” Assembly elections in five states are underway and the votes will be counted on December 3.
In its memorandum to the Election Commission, the TDP alleged that the District Election Officers (DEOs) and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are not following its directions for preparing “error-free” electoral rolls.
“They are under political pressure from the ruling party, particularly the ministers and MLAs,” the TDP delegation charged and requested the poll panel to deploy “special observers and constitute a task force”.
“Due to threats and coercion from the ruling dispensation, the EROs have not processed lakhs of death cases, duplicate entries, permanently migrated cases and voters reported as not traceable after the door-to-door verification by TDP,” the party delegation alleged before the poll panel.
The TDP delegation also urged the poll panel to remove the state secretariat staff deployed as Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) in preparation of electoral rolls.
“Under these circumstances, the only way a proper revision can be achieved is by taking direct control of the SSR work (enhanced revision of electoral rolls) by the ECI by deputing observers from outside the state,” the TDP delegation said in their memorandum.
“It is, therefore, sincerely requested that ECI may kindly depute all India service officers, appoint one observer for each district, preferably the officers working with the Government of India to ensure error-free electoral rolls,” it said.
“Appoint a high-powered Committee in the ECI exclusively to monitor the electoral roll revision work and various preparatory activities.” In a statement, the TDP said its state unit chief Atchen Naidu, Rajya Sabha member Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar, Leader of the Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Yanamala Ramakrsihnudu, the party MLA Nimmala Rama Naidu and its politburo member Bonda Umamaheswara Rao were part of the delegation. PTI PK PK NSD NSD
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