AP State Election Commissioner "breach of privilege"- Ministers complain to Speaker

Amaravati, Jan 30 (PTI): Two senior Ministers on Saturdayapproached the Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker T Sitaram,alleging ''breach of privilege'' by State Election CommissionerN Ramesh Kumar for naming them in a letter written to theGovernor, saying that they have crossed the ''Lakshman Rekha''.

Ramesh Kumar in his December 28 letter to GovernorBiswabhusan Harichandan, passed comments against MinistersBotcha Satyanarayana and P Ramachandra Reddy, alleging thatthey verbally attacked him, which, according to the SEC,amounted to violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

Nominations for the first phase of Panchayat polls beganon Friday and the polls will be held on February 9.

''I am therefore appealing to your good self to takenecessary action into the contents of the letter allegedlywritten by Dr Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar, the State ElectionCommissioner, which contain casting reflections, libellousremarks and intimidating words made with an ulterior motive ofdefaming me in the public eye.

I once again appeal to you to protect my privileges,honour and respect by taking appropriate action in thisregard,'' Reddy said in his letter to the Speaker.

Botcha also sent a similar letter to the Speaker.

Ramesh Kumar is under sharp criticism from the ruling YSRCongress Party, which was against conducting panchayat pollswhen the mass vaccination programme for frontline COVID-19warriors is being taken up across the country, including AP.

Though the government argued that the vaccinationprogramme would hinder the polls, the Andhra Pradesh HighCourt gave a green signal to the SEC to go for polls, whichwas upheld by the Apex Court.