In a recent development in the state of Telangana where the elections are scheduled to be held in November, the Election Commission has said the Model Code of Conduct will come immediately into effect after the assembly has been dissolved. This is the first time that a state where polls have not yet been announced has been placed under the model code. The EC has also said. Since the Telangana Assembly had prematurely dissolved earlier this month, the state will have to follow this too until the elections are over. The EC has also asked KCR led TRS care taker government in the state to keep away from announcing any new scheme or policy.
The order has been declared by the EC keeping in mind the Supreme Court’s judgment in 1994 in the S R Bommai Vs Union of India case stating that the caretaker government should only perform the regular task and not pass any major policy or form a law. “In such an eventuality the provisions of Part-VII (Party in Power) of the Model Code of Conduct shall come into operation with immediate effect in the state concerned and shall continue to be in force till the completion of the election to constitute the new legislative assembly,” the EC said in the directive. “Consequently, neither the caretaker state government nor the central government shall announce any new schemes, projects, etc in respect of that state or undertake any of the activities prohibited under the aforesaid Part-VII of the Model Code of Conduct”, it said further.
The directives have been sent to the cabinet and chief secretaries of the states. The EC took this decision keeping in view the allegations of Congress and other opposition parties on TRS government of misusing the power. The opposition parties had also demanded president’s rule in the state.
TPCC chief, Uttam Kumar Reddy had said, “Even if K Chandrasekhar Rao is caretaker Chief Minister, free and fair polls will not be possible in Telangana. We demanded that elections be conducted after imposing President’s rule”.
EC has also directed that the ministers and other officials of the caretaker government cannot use official resources for any non-official purposes or combining of official visit with electioneering work, etc. “This shall apply on all ministers and other authorities of the caretaker state government, the central government as well as the governments of other states,” it said.