Commissioner of the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC), Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar, today issued a show cause notice to state Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Nani, alleging that the latter had spoken about the commission in an "insulting manner".
"Minister Kodali Nani had made various objectionable comments about the SEC during a recent press meet. That is why he has been issued a show cause notice by us," Kumar explained.
The Commissioner then said that the minister, besides replying to the notice, would have to make a public statement stating that he was withdrawing his comments about the SEC, and instructed the latter to do so by this evening.
"Either the minister or his representatives must reply to the notice before the deadline. The objectionable remarks must also be withdrawn before evening today. Action will be taken against the minister if he fails to comply with these instructions," he said.
While addressing a media conference at Tadepally, Nani had made serious allegations against the commission, and had alleged that it was acting as per the instructions of TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu.
He claimed that the people of the state were well aware of the persons behind the "misconduct" of the rural local body elections in the state, and that they had understood that the SEC commissioner and Naidu were "one and the same".
At the press conference, Nani had also said that the YSR Congress Party would, despite the actions of the SEC and the TDP, win the state's ongoing Panchayat elections.
The SEC and the ruling party have been locked in a bitter feud for days now, over the issue of the ongoing Panchayat elections, and this is the second time the SEC has targeted a minister for misconduct.
Some days ago, SEC chief Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar had directed DGP Damodar Goutam Sawang to place Panchayat Raj Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy
under house arrest till February 21. However, the Andhra Pradesh High Court later
suspended the orders.