The Andhra Pradesh high court on Wednesday issued notices to government advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy and some officials on Why AP Needs Jagan programme. The State government had launched the programme with the ruling YSR Congress leaders and the officials taking part.
The officials and others would be going to the people and explaining to them various welfare schemes of the government. They would also give details of the direct benefit transfer to each of the families. The programme started early this month and is likely to continue for two more weeks.
A journalist, Kattepogu Venkataiah, filed a petition in the high court questioning why officials should participate in the programme. The journalist said that the programme is purely political and would benefit the ruling YSR Congress. Ahead of the 2024 general election, the programme would help the ruling party win more seats, he alleged.
He questioned the prerogative of the state government officials taking part in the programme and wanted the court to stop the officials. The petitioner also alleged that government advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy had told the officials to take part in the programme.
The court, responding to the petition, issued notices to Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, chief secretary K S Jawahar Reddy and secretaries of Panchayat Raj and Municipal Administration departments. The court then posted the case for four weeks for the next hearing.
