Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India (ECI) took a serious note of the Telangana Congress complaint, which alleged that the chief minister’s official residence and camp office, Pragati Bhavan, was being used for party activities in violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The EC has now asked Hyderabad’s District Election Officer (DEO) to investigate the issue and submit a report immediately.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vikas Raj mandated the District Election Officer of Hyderabad to furnish a report on the allegations immediately. As per MCC, any political activity within the chief minister’s official residence is a violation of the law.
The Congress’ complaint cites chief minister handing over the B-forms to the BRS party candidates at Pragati Bhavan. Congress also alleged that the violation of MCC continued despite the Congress’s complaints to ECI.
“Chief minister Chandrashekara Rao violated the MCC by giving B-forms to KT Rama Rao, T Harish Rao, Sri Palla Rajeshwar Reddy and others at the official residence of chief minister on October 15,” reads the complaint filed by Congress, addressing CEO Vikas Raj.
Congress alleged that Pragati Bhavan, being public property, should remain untouched by political parties for personal agendas, especially when the election code is in force.
Since October 20, the Election Commission’s scrutiny tightened around the political events at Pragati Bhavan, and CEO Vikas Raj served notices on the Estate Officer of Pragati Bhavan, seeking an explanation on holding political activities there.
Meanwhile, an update regarding the election code was shared by Mulugu district collector on X. The EC has imposed financial restrictions in the district, limiting the cash an individual is allowed to carry to Rs 50,000 until the election code is in force.
