The Election Commission has given a shock to TRS, the ruling party in Telangana State, as it misused the services of artists from the Cultural Department in Karimnagar, by suspending 8 artists from their services. With this dare step, the EC indirectly alerted all the state government employees for keeping themselves away from political campaigns.

Recently, the recent former MLA Mr. Gangula Kamalakar organised a public meeting in Karimnagar where a team of artists from the cultural department under the supervision of artist Shankar had taken part in the meeting by promoting the welfare schemes brought and implemented by the TRS government.

Following complaints made by other party leaders on the issue, the EC probed in to the matter and based on the evidences of video footage that confirms violation of the model code and sent show-cause notices to the said artists. As the department of Public Relations has not satisfied with the explanation given by the artists, it proposed for stringent action under several rules of the TSCS Rules (1991 and 1964). Based on the report, the EC directed the collector Mr. Sarfaraj Ahmed for taking action against the eight artists and the district collector has issued suspension orders against them. The EC also suspended a government teacher recently as the teacher participated in political campaign of Minister Eetala Rajender in Huzurabad segment.