HYDERABAD: A group of BJP leaders, led by Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Thursday met the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in New Delhi on Thursday, alleging violation of the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) guidelines in Munugode Assembly constituency.
Pointing out that Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat, whose jurisdiction covers Munugode which goes to polls on November 3, has been working in the same position since 2016 without being transferred, the BJP leaders claimed that this was a violation of the guidelines in connection with transfer and posting of officers in the byelection to an Assembly constituency.
“As per the guidelines of ECI, if an officer has completed three of the last four years or would be completing three years on or before the last day of the sixth month, such officers shall be shifted out of the Assembly constituency limit with immediate effect,” they said in the representation, requesting the CEC to take action in the matter of state subject.
The group, which also included BJP Telangana in-charge Tarun Chugh and former MLC N Ramchander Rao, alleged that 25,000 fake voters were enrolled by the TRS in Munugode, which they claimed was abnormal, as hardly 2,000 new voters were enrolled in the past byelections. The party has also moved the High Court over the issue.
Speaking to the media after meeting the CEC, Chugh said that they had requested the ECI to ensure that the fake votes were deleted.“The ruling party has deputed all its Ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs in the constituency and running the government from there by influencing the revenue and police officers who have been working in the constituency for a longer period, and violating the ECI guidelines. We have requested the ECI to send central forces and election observers to monitor the situation. We are confident that the ECI will initiate necessary action,” Chugh said.