VIJAYAWADA: The AP Legislative Assembly Committee of Privileges has decided in principle to take up inquiry into the notices served by two ministers to move Privilege Motion against State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar.
Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram referred the notices served by ministers Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy and Botcha Satyanarayana to the Committee of Privileges under rule 173 on Monday. The committee headed by Kakani Goverdhan Reddy, met virtually on Tuesday to look into the issue. The panel decided to take cognisance of the notices of the ministers against the SEC and initiate action as per Assembly rules as it is empowered to probe it.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Goverdhan Reddy said going by the past incident of the Maharashtra Assembly sentencing the SEC of that State for breach of privilege and the Bombay High Court upholding the decision of the House, we came to a conclusion that the issue is within the ambit of the Committee of Privileges and decided to take up inquiry into the matter.
Giving details about the precedent set by the Maharashtra Assembly, Goverdhan Reddy said a member Janardan Chandurkar served the Privilege Motion against the then SEC Nandlal in 2006. The Privilege Committee took up the matter on March 27, 2006. Later, the committee recommended imprisonment of the SEC for seven days as it was not satisfied with his reply and his non-appearance before it.
“A resolution was passed in the Assembly accepting the recommendation of the committee. The imprisonment was reduced to two days following the intervention of the then Chief Minister in the matter. The Assembly Speaker immediately issued a warrant and the SEC was sent to two days imprisonment,’’ Goverdhan Reddy said, adding that the SEC later moved a quash petition in the High Court, which was dismissed.
He said that all the members of the committee will meet soon to discuss the future course of action for proceeding with inquiry into the matter.“There is no ambiguity in taking up the inquiry into privilege notices. The Committee of Privileges will inquire the issue and make necessary recommendations to the Assembly. The inquiry will be conducted in a transparent manner,” he said.
Goverdhan Reddy said that the two ministers did not fault the steps being taken by the SEC with regard to the conduct of panchayat elections. They only objected to the remarks made against them in the SEC’s letter to the Governor. In the notices, Peddireddy and Botcha mentioned that the SEC made several castigating remarks, which are libellous in nature and far from truth in the letter reportedly written by him to the Governor. The tone and tenor of the letter is intimidating, they said.
Stating that making allegations without any substantial evidence amounts to breach of privilege, they urged the Speaker to take action against the SEC, Goverdhan Reddy said.However, TDP MLA Anagani Satya Prasad, who is one of the members of the committee, accused the YSRC government of using the panel for its ‘dictatorial policies’.
He said the announcement to take action against the SEC is nothing but violation of the Constitution and blackmailing the SEC. Stating that the Speaker should abide by the Constitution and not act as per the directions of the CM, he wondered about Sitaram’s immediate response to the complaints made by the ministers, while keeping mum on several privilege notices served by TDP members in the past.