The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a warning to some District Collectors and Superintendent of Policies in Andhra Pradesh, for their biased behavior during election period. The ECI has warned the Collectors of four districts and the SPs of five districts.
It has become serious that they are being negligent and biased in the performance of duty. It has warned that action will be taken if they fail to be impartial. ECI deplored that they are not responding properly even after some incidents took place.
SPs who were warned include two districts of Rayalaseema, one each in North Andhra, Coastal and Godavari districts. ECI has issued instructions to the Collectors and SPs to be vigilant mentioning the recent incidents in the respective districts. As there are only four days left for polling, the ECI alerted them to be cautious.
Meanwhile, the Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena has warned that strict action will be taken against employees who are tempted by postal ballot and they will be suspended. In the case of postal ballot, he said action will be taken against those who give and take bribes.
Employees have been requested to be very alert and not fall into any temptation. He deplored that it is a bad sign for government employees to succumb to such temptations. He said that an FIR has been filed against four people who were distributing money in Tadepalligudem of West Godavari district.
He said that a constable in Anantapur was found to be distributing cash while holding the list of employees and was suspended. However, Meena said that while 4.30 lakh people applied for postal ballot, 3.03 lakh (70%) people have availed this facility so far. If anyone is unable to exercise their right to vote, they have been given the opportunity to exercise their right to vote on this 9th.