Sriramulu makes party observers wait

The observers had arrived here to discuss the selection of the party candidate to the Bellary rural byelection. When the observers arrived at ‘Kuteera,’ the conference room adjacent to the residence of now jailed former minister G Janardhana Reddy at 12 noon, Sriramulu was busy in a meeting with his followers. The observers were promptly told to return at 3 pm.

The observers returned at 3 pm and appealed to Sriramulu to contest as the party candidate as per the decision of the party higher-ups. Sriramulu assured them that he would take a call by Tuesday, only after discussing with Reddy.

Serious note

Meanwhile, the Central Election Commission (CEC), which announced the date for the byelection within 19 days of the acceptance of Sriramulu’s resignation, has taken a serious note of the byelection to be held on November 30.

Senior officer of the Railway department S Ravichandra from Tamil Nadu arrived on November 4, the day the election notification was announced. He has been appointed as the Election Expenses Observer. Senior officer from West Bengal, Kamal Chakraborthy, who has been appointed as the general observer, is expected to arrive here on Monday.

Usually the observers arrive only after the scrutiny of the nomminations. It is interesting to note that they have arrived even before the candidates have filed their nominations. The observers will keep a tab on the expenses of the candidates contesting the elections.

They will also take into account the expenses involved in the public meetings, party meetings, etc. Each and every moment of the candidates will be monitored, District Election Officer A A Biswas told Deccan Herald.

All the banks have been instructed to keep a watch on the monetary transactions above Rs 10,000. A total of six checkposts have been installed in the 10 wards of the City and in the 64 villages in the district. Every vehicle entering the district will be checked.