Hindustan Times (Noida)

ANDHRA POLL OFFICER ORDERS HOUSE-ARREST OF STATE MINISTER

- letters@hindustant­imes.com

HYDERABAD: State election commission­er Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar on Saturday directed state DGP Gautam Sawang to restrict panchayat raj and rural developmen­t minister Peddireddy Ramachandr­a Reddy to his house till the completion of the gram panchayat elections, which ends on February 21. Polls to over 13,000 gram panchayats in the state are being held in four phases this month. The first phase of polling is on February 9.

The SEC directed that during his confinemen­t, the minister can’t have access to media in order to ensure that “he would not make possible provocativ­e comments that will have an adverse impact on the elections as well as on general law and order situation in Chittoor and elsewhere.” Kumar said the minister can have access to medical aid and can discharge his duties. “He can discharge his duties as a minister, have access to all official records and papers,” the SEC said.

At a press conference in Tirupati on Friday, Reddy asked the collectors and returning officers not to obey the instructio­ns of the SEC. “If any officials follow the SEC’S instructio­ns not to declare the unanimous elections, they will be blackliste­d,” he warned. Terming the SEC’S orders for his house arrest as atrocious, Reddy said, “It is evident that the SEC was acting under the directions of Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrabab­u Naidu,” he alleged.

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