The Election Commission Monday censured Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu for repeated MCC violations in their statements attacking each other. In orders issued Monday, the EC said the Andhra Pradesh CEO had issued show-cause notices to both leaders after receiving MCC violation complaints. In Reddy’s case, the EC cited five different statements at rallies from April 2 to 4. The Andhra Pradesh CEO had on April 7 issued a notice to Reddy on the TDP’s complaint on April 5, to which Reddy replied on April 9. The EC said Reddy had “nowhere in his reply denied using the statements/words against Naidu” cited in the complaint. The CEO reported Reddy continued making such remarks after the notice as well. The EC found he had violated the MCC provision against the use of personal attacks and unverified allegations, as well as the EC’s March 1 advisory to parties not to make false statements while campaigning. In the order to Naidu, the EC said the CEO had first received a complaint from the YSRCP on April 1 regarding his speech on March 31. The order cited 7 other instances where his attacks on Reddy violated the MCC. Naidu had been issued a show-cause notice by the CEO on April 3, to which he replied on April 6. He, too, did not deny making the statements against Reddy. “Repeated violations of the MCC provisions and ECI’s guidelines and advisories by Naidu showcases blatant attempt on the part of Naidu to undermine the electoral process and disturb the level-playing field by degrading the level of political campaign in the ongoing elections in Andhra Pradesh,” the EC order read.
