VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is headed for another confrontation with the Election Commission as he seems determined to go ahead with his proposed Cabinet meeting notwithstanding the fact that the Model Code of Conduct is in force. However, the meeting proposed to be held on May 10 has been postponed to May 14 as Chief Secretary L V Subramanyam has made it clear that the EC clearance is needed for it.
In a note sent to the Chief Secretary on Monday, officials of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) asked the latter to complete the necessary arrangements for the Chief Minister to hold the meeting on May 10. Normally, after getting a note from the CMO, the CS forwards the message to the secretaries of all departments, asks them to list out the issues that need to be discussed by the Cabinet and the agenda for such a meeting is prepared accordingly.
Since the MCC is in force at present, getting clearance of the EC is mandatory.Subramanyam on Tuesday held parleys with CMO Principal Secretary G Sai Prasad, Secretary (GAD) N Srikanth and Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi and discussed the procedure to be followed for conducting Cabinet meetings when the MCC is in force.
In an informal interaction with mediapersons, Subramanyam, explaining the procedure to be followed when the MCC is in force, said any Cabinet meeting could be conducted after getting the approval of the Election Commission
According to him, the agenda would be screened by the EC and, if it has no objection, the government can go ahead with Cabinet meeting. Prior to this, the State-level screening committee headed by the Chief Secretary will also go through the agenda and forward the same to the Election Commission through the CEO. Ideally, any such report should be sent to the EC 48 hours before the scheduled cabinet meeting.
As the CS needs more time to complete the procedure, the CMO sent another note on Tuesday informing him that the meeting would be held on May 14 to review such issues as Fani cyclone relief, drinking water situation, drought, employment, etc.
The CMO note asked the Chief Secretary to issue directions to officials of all the departments concerned to be present at the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister, who was in Delhi, maintained that the government would take a decision on the Cabinet meet and the Chief Secretary should implement its directions as per the procedure. “We have clarity on the agenda of the Cabinet meeting,’’ he maintained.
“I am no novice. I have faced this situation as Chief Minister thrice and also when I was a Cabinet minister. I know what rules to be followed and we will follow them and will hold the Cabinet meeting,’’ he said when reminded of the need for EC approval.
Though the note was sent to the Chief Secretary on the Cabinet meeting on May 14, Naidu said there was a possibility of holding the meeting on May 10, 12 or 13.