Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a notice to KT Rama Rao, a leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), in connection with alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) ahead of the upcoming Telangana elections in 2023.

Rao has been asked to provide an explanation by 3 PM on November 26, 2023, concerning his announcement of job recruitment at T-Works, a government institution. The ECI directive emphasizes that ministers should refrain from combining their official visits with electioneering work and should not use official machinery or personnel for such purposes. The notice follows a complaint from Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, who alleged that Rao visited the T-Works Office in Hyderabad and interacted with a large number of youth employed there on November 20.

The ECI noted that it received the complaint on November 21 and, acting on it, obtained a factual report from the CEO of Telangana. The report indicated that a meeting took place at T-Works Raidurgam on November 20, attended by KT Rama Rao, during which discussions occurred about government jobs in Telangana, the revamping of the TSPSC Board, and remarks about the Telangana government's role in job recruitment.

The Model Code of Conduct, as outlined by the ECI, specifies that the party in power, whether at the Centre or in the concerned state, should ensure that no cause is given for complaints of using its official position for election campaign purposes. It particularly emphasizes that ministers should not combine official visits with electioneering activities or use official machinery or personnel.

The Commission has prima facie determined that Rao's visit to a government institution and the use of the T-Works platform for political activities violated the instructions of the Model Code of Conduct. Rao has been given an opportunity to explain his position regarding the visit and the use of a government institute for political purposes by 3:00 PM on November 26, 2023, according to the ECI notice. Telangana is gearing up for assembly polls on November 30, with the BRS, Congress, and BJP being the primary contenders. Vote counting is scheduled for December 3.

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