VIJAYAWADA: With more and more complaints being received against village and ward volunteers alleging their participation in the political activities which is in violation of the Election Commission of India (ECI) norms, around 100 volunteers working across the State were removed from their duties.
It may be recalled that the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena has instructed all the District Collectors to give clear directions to all the volunteers to not to involve in any political party campaigns.
According to reports reaching here, as many as 35 volunteers in Chittoor and Kurnool, 23 in East Godavari, 16 in Konaseema, 16 volunteers in Ambedkar Konaseema district, 11 in Kadapa, 11 in Parvathipuram-Manyam district, nine in Undi mandal of West Godavari, six in Krishna district, two each in Anakapalli and Vizianagaram districts, and one from Guntur district were ousted from the duties after they were found to have took part in YSRC party related events in the last week after Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into force in the State.
In Krishna district, six ward volunteers attached to Chinnapuram village and surrounding villages were found to have participated in an election campaign of YSRC Machilipatnam candidate Perni Krishna Murthy alias Kittu. Following the complaints alleging their participation, officials concerned conducted an inquiry and removed them from the services immediately.
On Wednesday, CEO Mukesh Kumar Meena said stringent action would be initiated against errant village and ward volunteers for flouting ECI norms and clarified that action was taken against 46 people recently which include volunteers, VROs, and regular and contract employees for committing violations. The CEO took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and further clarified that the office has nothing to do with the message of running a WhatsApp helpline to receive complaints against volunteers being circulated in social media platforms and termed it a fake.
“Public are requested to use the cVIGIL App to report any violations. Reporting any kind of violation of volunteers to the number 9676692888 through WhatsApp has no use,” reads the tweet.