AP Polls: Rs 3 crores worth alcohol, cash, drugs seized since March 16

Amaravati: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena said that the police, flying squad and excise department officials have made seizures worth Rs 3.39 crores after the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in the state since March 16.

Speaking to media at Secretariat, Velagapudi on Wednesday, Mukesh Kumar said that of the total seizures, the officials caught Rs 1.6 crores worth of liquor, Rs 80 lakhs in cash and the remaining are drugs and freebies. The total seizures, made from the time of the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) visit to the state on January 9, amounted to Rs 170 crores, he said.

Data on liquor production will reveal plans

“We are gathering a detailed daily report from the excise department regarding the liquor production in the state,” the CEO said.

Explaining the analysis, the CEO added, “As per the ECI guidelines, the State Election Commission (SEC) will verify the details of the liquor stock and compare it with data from the previous year. If the liquor stock from both years is the same, the officials won’t take any action; if it exceeds, the SEC can take it as a sign of liquor being used to influence people during the elections. So far, there is no deviation in the liquor stock and it is less than the previous year.”

385 FIRs registered

Mukesh Kumar said that a total of 385 FIRs, including cases of seizures and MCC violations, were registered by the state police since March 16.

Apart from that, the officials have also registered 94 cases relating to the defacement of property and 37 cases relating to misuse of vehicles and violation of loudspeakers and illegal meetings, he said.

Informing the activities being taken under cVIGIL, the CEO said that as many as 1,173 teams were registered and so far, 1,307 complaints have been received. “Except for 40 complaints, the rest of them were resolved. Within 100 minutes, 74 per cent of complaints were resolved by the special teams in the state. We are trying to increase the percentage to 90-95 per cent as the seizures may take some time for the officials,” he added.

Section 144 imposed in Andhra Pradesh

The CEO further said that Section 144 has been enforced in the state to avoid law and order issues. This means that without official permission, nobody can organise public and house-to-house campaigns and road shows. All permissions will be given through the Suvidha app.

“So far, 392 applications have been received by the SEC in various districts from various political parties to obtain the permissions to kickstart their polling activities. In a time-bound manner, we will approve them accordingly and the SEC alone received 10 applications of the total 392 and the remaining are from various districts,” he said.

Posters, hoardings removed

Mukesh Kumar said that around 1.99 lakh posters, banners, and hoardings were removed by the flying squads, special teams and election staff from public places across the state after the MCC came into force.

From private places, around 1.15 lakh posters were removed by the staff, he said and added that the data would be sent to the SEC by the district collectors daily and it may increase in the future.

Penalty for government employees caught campaigning

The CEO said that show-cause notices would be served to any government employee caught campaigning for political parties.

“We are receiving several complaints that volunteers, contract and regular employees are being roped in to campaign for the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). We have taken action against 46 people which include volunteers, VROs, and regular and contract employees. Out of which, 40 cases are against volunteers. Regular employees are suspended while the contract employees and volunteers have been ousted from their services,” Mukesh Kumar said.

Elaborating further, he said that in some cases, criminal cases were also registered against them.

“If any regular employee goes and participates in a meeting, he/she will be suspended, contract or volunteers will be ousted. In a few cases, we came to know that they were directly canvassing. It comes under undue influence and is against the law. Criminal cases would be filed against them,” the CEO said.

Responding to a complaint filed against prime minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting in Palnadu district, Mukesh Kumar Meena said that the PM’s meetings come under the purview of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Special Protection Group (SPG).

“I cannot comment on it as it doesn’t come under the CEO’s purview. The Ministry of Home Affairs will take care of it since the issue is related to security and other aspects. Authorities concerned will take action on it and I will make the necessary recommendations on it,” the CEO said.

Pleas from aspirants to postpone DSC

Mukesh Kumar Meena also said that he had received several pleas from the aspirants to postpone the DSC. "We will escalate the matter into the notice of ECI. If the ECI permits, the DSC examination will be conducted in the state," he said.

EC to serve notices to Pawan Kalyan

Reacting on Jana Sena party president Pawan Kalyan uttering a dialogue on his party symbol in his upcoming movie 'Ustaad Bhagat Singh', Mukesh Kumar Meena said, "I haven't seen the Ustaad Bhagat Singh teaser, but if they have shown/advertised the "Tea Glass" in the teaser, we'll consider it as a political advertisement. In that case, we'll send notices to the team."