3 poll officials suspended for code violation

Hyderabad, May 21 (UNI) Three officials were placed under suspension for allowing an election meeting in a government school, in which Andhra Pradesh Rural Development Minister G Chinna Reddy and Congress MLA Swarna Sudhakar took part, in alleged ''violation'' of the model code.

Chief Electoral officer I V Subba Rao told reporters here the Headmaster, the Village Revenue Officer and Assistant Sub-Inspector were suspended by the Mahboobnagar District Collector for allowing the meeting in violation of the poll code.

Mr Rao said he had sent his report to the Election Commission on Home Minister K Jana Reddy and Irrigation Minister P Lakshmaiah addressing a meeting from a Government School in Warangal, allegedly in violation of the code.

Mr Rao, who held a meeting with the officials of the ten districts going to bypolls on May 29 through video conferencing, said the election machinery was fully geared up to conduct the bypolls smoothly for four MP and 18 MLA seats.

The arrangements for the bypolls were reviewed and directions given to the officials to take all precautionary measures to ensure they were held in an orderly manner.

Action had already been initiated by the Excise Department officials to check transport of liquor by candidates.

Taking serious note of some of the candidates not giving election expenditure statement on a day-to-day basis, he said the officials concerned were instructed to ensure the same was adhered to by all the contesting candidates.

UNI SM GM RSA ND1828