EC orders cases against Naidu, Rao

Hyderabad, May 30 (UNI) Close on the heels of ordering registration of cases against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and five TV channels, the Election Commission (EC) tonight directed the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to register cases against TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu and TRS President K Chandrasekar Rao and some other tv channels for violating poll code.

CEO, I V Subba Rao immediately filed separate complaints in the Saifabad police station against Naidu, Rao and TV channels - Maa TV, TV nine, ETV two, NTV and also TV five per cent.

The EC also order the Collectors of ten districts where byelections were held, to register cases against the two leaders and the tv channels by 1100 hrs tomorrow.

The EC was of the view that Mr Naidu by telling mediapersons in Krishna District on May 28 that the TDP would definitely win the byelections as the corrupt Congress Government had not not ushered in development, tried to influence the voters during the campaign ban period of 48 hours before polling, violating Section 126 of Representation of People Act, the Chief Electoral Officer told reporters here.

In an interview to tv channel TVfive on May 28, Mr Rao while exuding confidence that his party would win the byelections had stated that the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister was day-dreaming of winning the elections and according to the EC, this amounted to influence the voters a day ahead of the byelections, the CEO said.

He said he was also examining complaints against BJP state President B Dattatraya, CPI(M) state Secretary B V Raghavulu and Lok Satta party President Jayaprakash Narayan for alleged violation of Act.

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