TDP chief asks ECI to direct AP CEO not to exceed his jurisdiction

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Friday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to direct the state chief electoral officer (CEO) not to "exceed his jurisdiction" and interrupt functioning of the state government.

Naidu, in a letter to the ECI, lodged a complaint against the Andhra Pradesh CEO for making "absurd and arbitrary" comments in media that "the chief minister does not have the power to review the departments" during election period and also for "instructing additional director general (intelligence) not report to the chief minister".

Both assembly and parliamentary elections in Andha Pradesh were held during the first phase on April 11. The counting is scheduled on May 23.

"Since there is an unusually large gap of around 42 days before the counting takes place and results are announced, normal administration shall not be allowed to come to a standstill and crippled," Naidu informed the ECI.

After the elections in the state, the chief minister said he resumed the review of various departments of public importance like drinking water, Polavaram project and construction of the new capital, but was "shocked and surprised" to hear the comments of the CEO.

"The CEO's reported comments are without any jurisdiction as there is no such provision in Model Code of Conduct that the chief minister cannot hold review meetings.

"Though I am duty bound and empowered to conduct review meetings, I am constrained by the embarrassing apprehensions faced by concerned participating officers due to the reported misinformation spread by the CEO in the media," Naidu said and accused the AP CEO of exceeding his jurisdiction.

In the letter, Naidu further mentioned that the AP CEO has also instructed additional director general (intelligence) not report to the chief minister.

"Because of his illegal orders, Additional DG (Intelligence) is not reporting to me. I would like to know from the ECI, whether the reporting authority of Addl' DG (Intelligence) is also changed by ECI and if so, who is his reporting authority, if not the CM," he said.

Naidu sought to know if the ECI has issued orders prohibiting the intelligence chiefs functioning under the chief ministers in other states as well.

"If not, why this discriminating orders are issued only in case of Andhra Pradesh chief minister where the intelligence chief is specifically ordered not to meet the chief minister and not work under him," he asked.

Claiming that the ECI has "intentionally paralysed" the state administration, the Andhra Pradesh chief minister said there are many critical issues that require urgent attention of the state government and cannot be postponed till May 23.

Since there is a gap of nearly six weeks between conclusion of the elections and counting process of the polled votes, it is not constitutionally and legally correct to deprive the people of the state the right to be governed by their democratically elected government, he stressed.

Impending issues such as water distress in many places due to heat wave as well as recent death of seven people due to thunderbolt in the state -- could have been handled better had the state government been allowed to function, he added.

In the letter, Naidu accused the ECI for being biased and unilaterally transferring its DG intelligence, superintendents of police of various districts and chief secretary without seeking a panel from the state government