ECI asks Telangana govt to stop Rythu Bandhu disbursements until polls are over
In October 2018, the ECI approved disbursement under the Rythu Bandhu scheme during the assembly election provided that the scheme was not publicised
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has instructed Telangana’s Bharat Rashtra Samithi government to stop all disbursements under the Rythu Bandhu scheme for farmers until the model code of conduct (MCC) is lifted in the poll-bound state “in all its form”. The state government has been asked to submit a compliance report by 3pm on Monday.
The EC referred to statements of minister T Harish Rao, who is contesting from Siddipet and is a star campaigner for the party, about the disbursement of the scheme by a particular time before the poll date (Thursday), which was widely reported in newspapers and local media on November 26. It added Rao not only violated the provision in Para VII of the MCC but also the conditions laid down by publicising the release under the scheme and thereby disturbed the level playing field in the ongoing election process.
In October 2018, the ECI approved disbursement under the Rythu Bandhu scheme during the assembly election provided that the scheme was not publicised and no public function was organised for the disbursement. No political functionary was involved in the disbursement and no new beneficiaries were added.
The ECI noted that there is no fixed date for the disbursement of Rabi installments of the Rythu Bandhu assistance and it happened any time between October and January in the last five years.
The Telangana government informed the EC it planned to disburse the assistance from November 24 this year, during the MCC period. The EC gave its no-objection provided the government followed the October 2018 direction and that no direct benefit transfer assistance was affected during the silence period and the poll day.
