Committee to look into charges against SEC Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar

VIJAYAWADA: Taking note of the notices served by two Cabinet ministers to move Privilege Motion against State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram is learnt to have referred the matter to the Privileges Committee, which will examine the gravity of the charges made by the SEC against the ministers in his letter addressed to the governor  and take necessary action.

Ministers Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy (Panchayat Raj and Rural Development) and Botcha Satyanarayana (Municipal Administration and Urban Development) sent separate notices to the AP Legislative Assembly Speaker on Saturday, to allow them to move Privilege Motion against the SEC. After deliberation, the Speaker reportedly referred the issue to the Privileges Committee and suggested it to initiate measures after going through the notices served by the ministers.

In the notices, the ministers had explained that the SEC made several castigating remarks, “which are libellous in nature and far from the truth”, in the letter reportedly written by him to the governor. The tone and tenor of the letter is intimidating, they said adding the content of the same is being circulated on social media.

The ministers took exception to a statement reportedly by the SEC that they had crossed the ‘Lakshmana Rekha’, and violated the Model Code of Conduct.  Alleging that Ramesh Kumar had made several baseless allegations with an ulterior motive to degrade them as MLAs and ministers in the public eye,  Peddireddy and Botcha said making allegations without proof amounts to breach of privilege. 

‘Allegations baseless, without proof’
Alleging that Ramesh Kumar had made several baseless allegations with an ulterior motive to degrade them in the public eye,  Peddireddy and Botcha said making allegations without proof amounts to breach of privilege