Ennikala Nigha Vedika (Election Watch Forum) chairman Justice Ambati Lakshmana Rao has alleged that the main political parties have distributed Rs 100 crore to influence the voters in the seven constituencies that went to polls yesterday in the State.
Speaking to media persons here on Monday, Lakshmana Rao urged the election commission to immediately take steps to correct the voters lists with the help of civil society organizations. He said election malpractices could bge controlled in future if the election commission immediately took action against people who violated election code of conduct during the by-election. He said that they would conduct awareness programme on ‘importance of vote in the democratic country’ shortly. He urged the civil society organizations to bring pressure on the political leaders not to distribute money and liquor to influence the voters.
Forum state convener V. Lakshmna Reddy said that ten groups of the forum had visited and inspected the elections in five Assembly constituencies during the by-elections. Due to the irregularities that took place in the voter lists, thousands of voters did not cast their votes during the by-elections, he added. He urged the political parties, NGOs and civil society organizations to work united to control money, liquor and muscle power in the elections.
Forum state convener Dr Rao Chelikani was also present (NSS)