The Election Commission had given a strong warning to the senior officials of the state government on implementing the election code and also verifying the voter list. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar took the officials to task for succumbing to the pressures from the political parties.

Rajiv Kumar, commissioners Anoop Chandra Pande and Arun Goel took the officials to task at the review meeting. They pointed an accusing finger at Tirupati, YSR, Kakinada, and Bapatla district collectors and Vijayawada police commissioner for irregularities in the voters list and enforcement of law and order.

They asked the officials to move out of their positions if they can’t act independently. They wanted the officials to act independently and be neutral, maintaining equal distance from all political parties. They found fault with the district collectors for not acting on those who submitted Form 7 to remove the genuine votes.

The EC officials also pulled up the district collectors and the SPs for not acting on the complaints over removal of genuine votes and other irregularities in the voters list. They blamed the district collectors and the SPs for not acting on the bogus votes and removal of genuine votes.

The EC officials also referred to the complaints given by the political parties and sought explanation from the officials. They wondered why the officials were not removing the bogus votes and not taking action against those who filed Form 7 for removal of genuine votes.

The officials also blamed the collectors and SPs for not strictly implementing the orders at the check posts between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They questioned the officials for allowing smuggling of liquor and money in huge quantities.

Money and liquor flowing into the state from neighbouring Telangana and Karnataka states, the EC officials said. They asked the officials to be strict in implementing the election norms or just leave the positions to facilitate the EC to appoint new persons in the posts.