Jagan complains to Guv against SEC order to put off civic polls amid COVID-19

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday (March 15) called on Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan at the Raj Bhavan in Vijayawada and complained against the State Election Commissioner’s “arbitrary” postponement of the polls to rural and urban local bodies.

The chief minister took strong exception to the decision of State Election Commissioner N Ramesh Kumar to put off the upcoming elections for six weeks in view of the spread of coronavirus.

CM Jagan rushed to the Raj Bhavan for an unscheduled meeting with the Governor a couple of hours after the SEC announced its decision to put off the local bodies elections.

Later, Jagan told reporters that if required they would complain against the State Election Commissioner “further up” and seek necessary action “if there is no change in him.”

Related news: COVID-19: States brace to combat pandemic as cases spike to 107

The chief minister also found fault with the SEC decision to order transfer of Collectors of Chittoor and Guntur districts and SPs of Tirupati Urban and Guntur Rural.

“What authority does the SEC have to order these transfers? Why should we have an elected government and the Chief Minister? Let the SEC run the government,” Jagan said.

The YSR Congress chief spit fire on Ramesh Kumar saying he belonged to the “same caste” as that of (former Chief Minister) N Chandrababu Naidu.

“We did not appoint Ramesh Kumar as SEC, it was Chandrababu Naidu who appointed his own caste man. But how can he act in such discriminate fashion?” Jagan asked.