Andhra Pradesh’s ruling party, YSRCP, complained to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Monday that Narayana Group of educational institutions was collecting voters’ data even as its founder and TDP leader was looking to fight the forthcoming election in Nellore constituency.
The YSRC wrote a letter to the CEO, complaining that the Narayana Group in Nellore district was collecting data of students’ family members.
“Narayana Group of educational institutions, which holds a prominent position in the education sector of Andhra Pradesh, comprising various schools, junior colleges (+2), and professional colleges, has been engaging in the collection of personal data from the family members of students enrolled in their educational establishments,” the letter stated.
The party urged the CEO to take criminal action under the Representation of People Act, 1950, Representation of People Act, 1951, Indian Penal Code, and Model Code of Conduct for conducting clean, free and fair elections and Article 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India against the Narayana institutions, and its promoters and the persons who were behind the said illegal act by conducting a detailed enquiry.
The party has requested the CEO to give directions to the Narayana educational institutions and its promoters and staff to hand over all the data which was collected from the students, punish and disqualify P Narayana and any other responsible persons who are connected with the theft of personal data, if found to be true, in the ensuing election.
The founder of the Narayana Group, Dr P Narayana, is not only an educationist but also a politician who is an active member of the Opposition Telugu Desam Party in the state.
He has also served as a former Member of the Legislative Council and Minister in the Council of Ministers for the state.
“Shockingly, the findings indicate that he is planning to contest the forthcoming election in the Nellore constituency, Nellore District, on a Telugu Desam Party ticket. He has also been named in several criminal cases, raising serious concerns about the integrity of both the educational institution and its founder,” the party stated in its complaint.