The Election Commission of India (ECI) took strict action against 106 government officials in Telangana for their involvement in attending an unauthorized event organized by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Medak candidate, former IAS officer P Venkatram Reddy. This event took place without proper permission from the Assistant Returning Officer of the Siddipet Assembly Segment within the Medak Parliamentary Constituency.
The Election Commission stated that the meeting, which occurred on April 7, 2024, was captured on CCTV, providing clear evidence of its occurrence and thereby violating the Model Code of Conduct. Consequently, an FIR was lodged against Reddy and other BRS leaders for conducting this unauthorized meeting.
The government officials who were suspended by the Election Commission include technical assistants, engineering consultants, computer operators, community coordinators, village organization assistants, auditors, and others. A significant number of these suspended officials belong to the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) in Siddipet.
This action was taken after BJP Medak candidate M Raghunandan Rao filed a complaint with the Assistant Returning Officer and Revenue Divisional Officer, alleging that District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) staff members were attending a BRS meeting related to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
All 106 staff members were suspended with immediate effect. The Lok Sabha elections in Telangana are scheduled to take place in a single phase on May 13, 2024, with the results expected to be declared on June 4.
