HYDERABAD: Justice Pulla Karthik of the Telangana High Court on Friday stayed the suspension proceedings initiated by the Siddipet district election officer on April 8 against one Srinivas and three others based on the allegations that they attended a BRS election meeting.
The assistant returning officer and RDO, Siddipet, received a complaint of unauthorised meetings and distribution of money by the BRS in violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) rules at a function hall in the town, following which the four were suspended.
The petitioners argued that the suspension orders were beyond the authority of the district election officer as they were not government servants and hence not governed by the Conduct Rules of Civil Servants, 1964.
They clarified they were employed with District Rural Development Agencies and Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) and that they were not entrusted with any official duties related to the Lok Sabha elections and hence they did not violate any SERP regulations.
After considering the petitioners’ contentions, Justice Reddy issued notices to the authorities concerned and stayed the suspension proceedings.