ECI strongly censures Telangana minister Konda Surekha for defamatory remarks against KTR
ECI has cautioned Konda Surekha about making unverified allegations against political parties or leaders during the ongoing General Election to the Lok Sabha 2024 in Telangana
HYDERABAD: The Election Commission of India (ECI) strongly censured Telangana minister Konda Surekha on Friday for allegedly making defamatory remarks against BRS working president KT Rama Rao in a phone tapping case. The Commission also issued a strict warning for her to be careful in her public utterances during the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
This warning came after a complaint was lodged on April 6, 2024, by ex-MLC Karne Prabhakar and Dr. Sravan Dasoju, BRS official spokesperson, alleging that Congress leader and Telangana minister Konda Surekha, during a press conference on April 4, 2024, made unverified and unsubstantiated allegations against Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), particularly against BRS working president KTR.
Konda Surekha's statements during the press conference included, "KCR garu, by indulging in phone tapping, your son has blackmailed many individuals, including heroines, and has placed some officers in jeopardy of losing their jobs and facing imprisonment. KTR's comments regarding Chief Minister Revanth Reddy are confusing. Speaking without basic manners, he has only acted as an American-returned minister, working as a shadow Chief Minister. When he speaks, it's as if he's the Chief Minister himself."
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has cautioned Minister Konda Surekha about making unverified allegations against political parties or leaders during the ongoing General Election to the Lok Sabha 2024 in Telangana. They emphasised the importance of choosing words carefully to avoid tarnishing the image of opposition parties or disrupting the election process.
In addition to cautioning Minister Konda Surekha about unverified allegations, the Election Commission of India (ECI) reminded her of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) rules. They stressed that criticism of other political parties should be limited to policies, programs, past records, and work. Furthermore, they highlighted the importance of refraining from criticising aspects of private life not related to the public activities of leaders or workers of other parties, and avoiding criticism based on unverified allegations or distortions.
Additionally, the ECI warned her, saying, "Political parties and leaders shall not make false statements or utterances without factual basis aimed at misleading voters. Criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortions shall be avoided."