Gadwal district ranks first in poll code violations

Hyderabad: Jagulamba Gadwal district has occupied first place in poll code violation cases, and it is followed by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's home district of Siddipet in the just- concluded State Assembly elections. According to a report prepared by the Forum For Good Governance, a total of 247 cases were booked in Gadwal district, which included 54 poll violation, 24 cases of cash seizure (1.51 crore), 155 cases under Excise Act and 14 cases of seizure of gold and silver.

In Siddipet, as many as 243 cases, which included 60 code violation, 73 money seizure cases (Rs 1.92 crore), 109 cases of Excise Act and a case booked on seizure of gold and silver. The Forum Secretary M Padmanabha Reddy said that in many instances, the cases involving huge amounts were not booked and seized money returned to the party in many districts.

Since there was no record available about the disposal of seized liquor, there is scope of mismanagement, he said. Bhadrabdri Kothagudem district occupied third place in the violation of poll code cases ( 226), followed by Kamareddy (181) , Adilabad (164), Peddapalli (146), Medak (136) and in Khammam 133 cases were booked.

Among Police Commissionerates, the highest number of code violation cases were reported from Cyberabad ( 135), followed by Rachakonda (116) and 81 cases were booked in Hyderabad limits, he said.

The Election Commission had failed to curb the money flow and the money had played an important role in the Assembly elections. There is also lack of uniform procedure in dealing with seized cash. In some districts, police handed over seized cash to Revenue officials and in some districts, the cash was in the custody of either Income Tax Department or Election Commission, he said.