Andhra Pradesh: Ward volunteers told not to indulge in political activity
Andhra Pradesh State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar
Vijayawada: Recalling that the State Election Commission had earlier issued instructions that the ward and village volunteers should not indulge in any political activity such as canvassing or indulging in any manner in elections to local bodies, State Election Commissioner N Ramesh Kumar reiterated in a statement here on Sunday that strict neutrality governs all categories or government servants and the volunteers are no exception.
It may be recalled that the SEC issued notifications for 12 municipal corporations and 75 municipalities and nagar panchayats in the State and poll is scheduled on March 10.
The Commission while interacting with representatives of recognised and registered political parties with reserved symbols at the regional conferences received serious complaints as in the case of Gram Panchayat elections concerning ward volunteers.
It has been decided that sterner measures are necessary to ensure free and fair polls by completely isolating the ward volunteers from the municipal election process. The Commission accordingly directed the Collectors and District Election Authorities that ward volunteers shall be completely kept away from poll process and they shall not be entrusted with distribution of authenticated photo voter slips to the voters.
The officials were also instructed that ward volunteers shall be grounded and their movements are to be closely monitored and their phones shall be kept in safe custody as the database of beneficiaries is likely to be leveraged and misused.
The Commission views the participation of ward volunteers in the election process either directly or indirectly in support of a candidate or a political party is a serious violation of Model Code of Conduct and any evidence in deviation of the Commission's 'Direction' shall result in their summary discharge.
The above 'Direction' of the Commission will be effective all through the poll process of Urban Local Bodies. However, there is no bar to deploy the volunteers in normal and routine mandated responsibilities.