ECI assures action, High Court disposes Dasoju’s writ plea

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti took on record the assurance given by ECI that appropriate action in accordance with law would be taken by Friday.

Hyderabad: The Telangana High court on Wednesday disposed a writ plea filed by Dr Sravan Dasoju, offical spokesperson of BRS, which sought directions to Election Commission of India (ECI) for taking action against Minister Konda Surekha.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti took on record the assurance given by ECI that appropriate action in accordance with law would be taken by Friday.

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It is the case of Sravan Kumar that Konda Surekha has made derogatory statements and comments during a press meet in Warangal against the BRS leaders and workers including K. T Rama Rao, MLA and Working President, BRS party.

The petitioner also pointed that, Surekha alleged during the meeting that Rama Rao was involved in the phone tapping case and would be sent to jail, though the investigating authority has not even listed him as a suspect.

He said such statements even targeted the private life of their party members and argued that such vague allegations are made only to distort the election campaign of the BRS party.

The Petitioner counsel argued that the actions of Surekha, are in violation of the Model code of conduct and Representation of peoples Act, 1951.

It was also contended that the ECI faulted in forwarding the complaint filed before ECI to GHMC Commissioner who had no Jurisdiction to take action on the complaint. As the matter of fact, the complaint should be forwarded to District Election Officer Warangal or ECI itself should have acted upon the complaint, the counsel said.

Among various reliefs petitioners sought directions to refrain Surekha from making any derogatory statements/comments against Bharat Rashtra Samithi or its leaders or workers henceforth during the election campaign.

However, the ECI informed the court that they had initiated action in accordance with law, and considering the same, the bench disposed the matter.