HYDERABAD: Representatives of major political parties in Telangana met with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Om Prakash Rawat and his team on Monday to hold discussions about preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections. Almost all parties - Congress, BJP, TDP, CPI and CPM - brought to the CEC’s notice that even after the second special summary revision (SSR) of photo electoral rolls, there was no marked improvement in the purification of electoral rolls and that there were no major deletion of bogus voters or double entries from them either.
They further brought to the notice of the ECI that at many places in the State, names of genuine eligible voters have gone missing from the electoral rolls while a large number of ineligible persons have been added to the list.
Criticising the ECI for its decision to continue with the polls, chairman of TPCC EC coordination committee Marri Shashidhar Reddy said, “’If the ECI goes ahead with the existing electoral roll list it will be a great disservice to democracy.’’
He recalled that Congress had approached the High Court as there were discrepancies of about 68 lakh voters and when the issue was heard in the Court, representatives from the ECI standing counsel informed the court that all issues had been rectified. Reddy added that State CEO Rajat Kumar had claimed discrepancies in the electoral rolls had been rectified, however, Congress was ready to prove that was untrue. “The Court allowed the EC to publish the final rolls on October 12, but people are finding it extremely difficult to find the details in ERONET and websites,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP National Executive Member N Indrasena Reddy said that due to the negligence, serious lapses have occurred in the preparation of the voters’ list. ‘’We have been forced to come to the conclusion that these are the deliberate attempts by the officials to favour certain political parties in the State. Despite our repeated complaints to the CEO and ECI officials, no action was taken regarding bogus votes,’’ he said.
TDP Politburo member, Ravula Chandrasekhar said that the caretaker Government was working against the Constitution. He alleged that the phones of members of Opposition parties were being tapped.
MBT’s request to EC on polling agents
The Majilis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) on Monday urged the Election Commission to allow their polling agents to stay in the polling booths on election day. The MBT alleged that their agents were driven out of booths during the General Elections in 2014 after objections were raised by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).
Remove banners in Old City: TDP
Telugu Desam Party urged Election Commission on Monday to remove all flexi banners belonging to various political parties in Old City as they were violating the election model code of conduct in the State. Mohammed Ahmed, TDP GHMC minority vice-president, said: “I would like to bring to your notice that GHMC is not demolishing flexi banners belonging to various parties at Haribowli Government Hospital, Meer ka Dera, Mir Alam Mandi, Ali Jah Kotla, New King’s Safina Hotel, Sultan Shahi and other areas.”