Dasoju Sravan seeks audit of Moinabad poll winner over ‘Rs 7 crore expense’

BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan has urged the State Election Commission to audit the election expenses of an independent candidate who won the Moinabad municipal polls, alleging massive electoral malpractice.

Hyderabad: Raising objections over the brazen violation of rules by an independent candidate in the Moinabad municipal elections, BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan appealed to the State Election Commission to conduct a special audit of the winning candidate’s election expenses and assets.

In a letter addressed to the State Election Commissioner on Saturday, the BRS MLC alleged electoral malpractice in the Moinabad municipal elections in Rangareddy district. Sharing a copy of a news report, he stated that an independent candidate had purportedly secured victory by a margin of over 200 votes after an estimated expenditure of Rs 7 crore. It was alleged that voters were bribed with Rs 70,000 per vote and 25 kg of rice per household, he said.

---

“This conduct constitutes a direct and brazen violation of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which defines clear instances of ‘bribery’ and ‘undue influence’ as corrupt practices,” he stated.

He further stressed that it was also a violation of the Model Code of Conduct and that distribution of cash amounted to a criminal offence under the Indian Penal Code or the BNSS.

He said the issue was not confined to one area, alleging that in a brazen display of arrogance, a real estate tycoon in Medak district had recently boasted of spending Rs 13 crore to win a Sarpanch election.

If this ‘Moinabad Model’ of commercialised voting was allowed to continue, it would signal the end of the common person’s ability to participate in Indian democracy, he said.

The BRS MLC demanded that the State Election Commission conduct a special audit of the winning candidate’s election expenses and assets. He also sought an Anti-Corruption Bureau investigation into the source of the funds and disqualification of the candidate under Section 10A of the Representation of the People Act, if the expenditure was found to be illegal.