EC should disqualify defectors

New Delhi, April 28: In a just and fair demand of far reaching consequences, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has sought the Election Commission to take over the powers to disqualify defectors, ban political parities failing to fulfill the first ten election promises and also ensure that elections to the Andhra Pradesh and GHMC (Hyderabad) would be simultaneously held.

‘We have given a representation to the Election Commission urging it to take over the powers of disqualifying turncoats immediately as the Speaker, due to various obligations, has been unable to disqualify them and democracy is placed at crossroads,’ he told media after submitting the representation here on Thursday.

The Save Democracy protest highlighting the corruption charges of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababau Naidu and the manner in which MLAs of opposition party are bought has been explained in detail to the Election Commission which makes our demand more pressing.

The anti-defection law has been bypassed and some of the loopholes are being exploited by the corrupt leaders by taking away MLAs elected from one political party to the other and shielding them from the provisions of anti-defection laws which has been a blot on the democracy, he said.

Chief Minister himself inviting opposition MLAs into his party fold is making a mockery of democracy and offering them cabinet berth is still worse. The Speaker has not been taking action on the turncoats who neither resign nor are they disqualified.

This has to be stopped and it can happen only if an autonomous body like Election Commission takes over the power of disqualification as people’s mandate given to them was for a different party.

The second issue we have highlighted in the representation is that the Election Commission should ban any political party that has failed to fulfill the top 10 poll promises during it tenure after coming to power.

The third issue we have raised is that elections to Andhra Pradesh and GHMC limits of Hyderabad should be simultaneously held to cover dual voting.

The three issues are placed before the EC and we are mounting pressure and we hope that our view point would be considered, he said.

We have come to Delhi and could expose the corrupt practices of Chandrababu Naidu and create a public opinion against the malpractices and defections in Andhra Pradesh. We will also take legal recourse and take the issue further, he said.

When asked about the appointment of President and Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition said that, ‘we sought an appointment but could not get. We will send our representation by post and our intention of bring the issues to their notice would be fulfilled,’ he said.