HYDERABAD: Stating that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is facing a “severe crisis of confidence”, BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Wednesday urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance of the concerns surrounding the functioning of the poll body.
He emphasised that as a constitutional body, the ECI must remain above suspicion. No agency other than the Supreme Court holds the credibility to conduct an impartial investigation, he said.
“ECI is a constitutional body. We cannot believe any other agency to investigate the issue other than the Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court needs to take cognizance of what former Election Commissioners are saying and launch a suo motu inquiry into the matter. Hopefully, some answers will come out and the truth will prevail,” he added.
The Sircilla MLA recalled that he had led a delegation of BRS to New Delhi and met three Election Commissioners to raise serious apprehensions regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. He noted that concerns were formally submitted during the Bihar elections as well, pressing the poll body to address rumours, clarify ambiguities and bring complete transparency to the revision process.
BRS teams to visit thermal power plants
Earlier in the day, Rama Rao blamed the state government for the current “power crisis” in the state. Speaking to reporters, he attributed the present crisis to mismanagement by power utilities and a financial tussle between Singareni and Genco.
He said that the BRS leaders would make field visits to all the thermal power plants and the SCCL head office to know the facts. Six teams would be dispatched to power plants to enquire about coal production, coal stocks available at thermal plants, the capacity of plants and their actual power generation, he said.
The former minister also alleged that the thermal power plants in the state were not functioning to their full capacity.