AP Panchayat Polls: Election Commissioner orders confinement of Minister to home

Amaravati, Feb 6 (PTI): In rare occurrence, the AP StateElection Commission on Saturday issued orders to the Directorgeneral of Police to ensure that Minister P Ramachandra Reddyis ''confined'' to his home till February 21 for his allegedremarks against the commission.

Panchayat polls in the state are scheduled to begin fromFebruary 9 and will go on till February 21 in four phases.

SEC Ramesh Kumar, in his order said the Commission hadcarefully looked at various alternatives and avenues ofremedial action and was invoking its plenary powers underArticle 243K of the Constitution and directing the DGP to''confine'' the Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Developmentto his residential premises till completion of gram panchyatelections, which would conclude on February 21.

The orders issued are in the nature of reasonablerestrictions and are essentially preventive measures, takenrecourse to ensure free and fair elections and to enable thevoters to exercise their franchise freely ''uninfluenced bythreats and intimidation'', the Order said.

According to the SEC Order, the Minister, in a pressconference on Thursday, warned that Collectors and ReturningOfficers not to obey the instructions of the ''madcap ElectionCommissioner'' and if they do so (preventing forced unanimouselections), action will be taken against those officials andthey will be blacklisted after the polls are over.

Reddy also allegedly attributed political motives to theSEC, saying Ramesh Kumar is favouring the opposition TeluguDesam Party with view to get its MP or MLC seat in future.

Reacting to SECs order, Reddy said he just watched thenews in TV channels and if the DGP has to implement the SECsOrder, he can do it.

''I am not opposing it. I am only saying that these kindof gag orders issued by the SEC in connivance with TDP supremoChandrababu Naidu indicate that the SEC has gone mad.

People will certainly tech them lessons for this,'' Reddytold reporters.