VIJAYAWADA: Political parties in the State are going to spend money like water, use liquor and other goodies to induce voters in the coming elections? That is what the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) fears. The election panel sees AP as the State more susceptible to poll malpractices.
This disturbing prophecy was made by none other than State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gopal Krishna Dwivedi himself. He said that the CEC viewed Andhra Pradesh as most notorious State in terms of distribution of money and election expenditure. Stating that AP would be the most ‘sensitive’ State in the ensuing elections, Dwivedi advised the Media Certification Monitoring Committee (MCMC) to be on alert.
Addressing an MCMC workshop at the Interim Government Complex in Velagapudi on Saturday, Dwivedi said that a large contingent of CEC observers would come to monitor elections in the State given its fears of political parties going to any length to induce voters and cautioned officials to be vigilant to ensure transparent and peaceful elections.
Stating that the role of MCMCs was crucial in holding Assembly, Lok Sabha and Legislative Council elections, the CEC wanted them to keep a close watch on the paid articles in newspapers and televisions as well as in the social media. He also wanted an increase in the number of members of MCMC from the existing five to 15-20. The MCMC members work under the chairmanship of district collectors. The members should have knowledge of print, electronic and social media, Gopal Krishna Dwivedi observed.
CEC fears parties in AP may splurge money to induce voters
Making it clear that the candidates found spending more money than Rs 28 lakh (Assembly constituency) and Rs 70 lakh (Lok Sabha segment) will be disqualified, he said that paid articles would be identified by MCMC members and the money spent on such activities would be added to the election expenditure of the candidate concerned.
All the guidelines applied to electronic media would also be applied to social media as far as the paid articles are concerned, the CEO said. Speaking on the occasion, Additional CEO Vivek Yadav said despite that fact that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been in vogue for the last three decades some political parties and people still express apprehensions about their efficacy.