Stop Political Activity At Official Residence, EC Tells KCR

In swift action following a plaint by the grand alliance partners, the Election Commission today directed TRS supremo and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and his cabinet colleagues to stop using their official residences and quarters for political affairs.

Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar also asked the TRS leadership to clarify whether they had violated the poll code by holding such political meetings so far, along with the reasons for holding them.

The EC was responding to the complaint jointly filed by TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy, TDP leaders L Ramana and Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy, CPI leader Chada Venkat Reddy and TJS leader Dilip Kumar in this regard, and directed the officials to plunge into action.

The EC also sought a clarification from DGP Mahender Reddy for the alleged phone tapping by some police officials alleged by the opposition parties.

Rajat Kumar wrote a letter to the DGP in which he sought a report comprising the details of phone tapping, and the stopping of the vehicles of the Opposition leaders. The CEO also instructed the South Central Railway officials to immediately remove the photographs of the TRS chief on the MMTS trains.

It is learnt that Rajat Kumar also made a visit to the High Court to give a presentation on the EVMs, VVPATS, kiosks and other applications to be used for the conduct of the polls on December 7. He is learnt to have also apprised the judiciary of the poll arrangements in place in all the 31 districts in Telangana.