EC discusses use of government state guest houses in poll-bound states

New

, Oct 9: The issue of use of government state guest houses in poll-bound states in contravention of laid rules was on Wednesday discussed at a meeting of the

.

The issue came into focus following reports of Telugu Desham Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu sitting on a fast at Andhra Pradesh Bhawan and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot holding a meeting of party leaders recently in Rajasthan Bhawan in poll-bound Delhi.

The meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and attended by Election Commissioners H S Brahma and Nasim Zaidi, took strong note of the violations, the sources said.

The Commission is contemplating action against the violators and may write to all state governments not to allow use of government premises for elections purposes.

With Naidu refusing to vacate the Andhra Bhawan premises and continuing with his fast against the division of the state and for the rights of people of Seemandhra region of Andhra Pradesh, State's Resident Commissioner in Delhi wrote to the Delhi Police for his removal.

The Commission is contemplating action against the violators.

The issue has snowballed into a major controversy, with Naidu saying that if YSR Congress leader Jaganmohan Readdy can hold a hunger strike inside Jail, which is against the Jail manual, why cannot he hold it at a public place.

PTI