HC asks State to decide on TSTDC MD’s suspension in a week
The EC was notified of Manohar Rao’s MCC violation in a complaint
By Newsmeter Network Published on 5 Dec 2023 3:34 AM GMT
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court directed the State government to take a call on revoking the suspension of Boinpally Manohar Rao, the managing director of the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation, within a week.
On November 17, on the directions of the Election Commission of India (ECI), Boinpally Manohar Rao was placed under suspension. The order was a result of Manohar Rao allegedly accompanying V Srinivas Goud, the then state tourism minister, to Tirumala on November 16, when the election code for the Telangana State Assembly Elections was in effect.
The EC was notified of Manohar Rao’s MCC violation in a complaint, which also mentioned another government official, Y Satyanarayana, OSD (retired deputy collector) re-employed as OSD to MD. The complaint said that Satyanarayana and Manohar Rao were seen in the company of Srinivas Goud in Tirumala and this necessitated action against them.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) mandates that government officials such as officers of state government and district administration, shall not receive, see off or call upon, by way of protocol, the ministers at the Centre or of the States when they visit any state or district on election tour. A government official providing company to the minister on a visit is a violation of the MCC.
The Chief Justice Bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti, directed the State government to take a call on revoking the suspension of Manohar Rao as the MCC which was in force since October 9 concluded on December 3 and observed that an employee or an officer cannot be placed under suspension for an indefinite period.
The Division Bench was adjudicating a plea filed by Boinpally Manohar Rao seeking a direction to quash the ECI order for his suspension. The Chief Justice Bench directed the State government to consider whether or not it is desirable to continue the petitioner under suspension within a period of one week and adjourned the case to December 19.
