‘Election Watch’ has made an appeal to all the political parties and the candidates to stop distribution of liquor and money in the by-elections. A conference of the Election Watch was held here on Sunday under the presidenthsip of former Allahabad High Court Chief Juctice Dr Ambati Lakshmana Rao.
The meeting adopted a number of resolutions. The meeting requested the State Government and the Election Commission to close liquor shops in all the 12 Districts where by-elections are being held, from the day the election notification was issued. It was decided to conduct district-level conferences in all the 12 districts, appoint constituency-wise committees of the Election watch to ensure that the election code was implemented effectively.
The meeting appealed to the voters to be vigilant and see that the influence of money power in elections was reduced. Justice Lakshmana Rao has appealed to the voters to desist from selling their right to vote. He said that political leaders were spending Rs.five to ten crore in the elections and looting hundreds of crores of social resources. He regretted that of late, the influence of money was going up.
Mr K Madhava Rao, former Chief Secretary, said there was need to keep a watch on the contestants who are luring the voters and bring the same to the notice of the officials concerned.
Election Watch state convenor Mr V Lakshmana Reddy deplored that as the candidates were distributing liquor, students and youth were getting accustomed to drinking. The election watch would strive to stop this menace.
Central University Professor K Chinnayasuri said Andhra Pradesh stood at first place in spending highest amounts in elections, while Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were in second and third place respectively.
Forum for Good Governance Secretary Mr M Padmanabhaiah said that the 75 cases booked during the 2004 election in Kadapa were withdrawn later. Of the 127 cases booked in 2009 elections, 121 were withdrawn. He regretted that though Crores of rupees were seized during the elections, no action was being taken against the candidates concerned.
APSA Director S Srinivasa Reddy, Dalit Bahujana Front leaders Sujathas, Shankar, COVA Director Mazhar Hussain, Jana Vignana Vedika Secretary T V Rao and others spoke. (NSS)