EC Directs Telangana Govt to Defer Rythu Bharosa Payments After CM Reddy 'Violates' Poll Code
News 18The Election Commission on Tuesday directed the Telangana government to defer payments under the ‘Rythu Bharosa’ scheme after polling day on May 13, saying chief minister Revanth Reddy violated the model code of conduct by referring to the disbursement of rabi instalments in his public speeches. In a letter to the Telangana chief electoral officer, the poll body said the chief minister made public announcements about the payouts under the scheme on or before May 9. It said the Rythu Bharosa was an ongoing scheme and the payments for the 2023 rabi season should have been completed by January 2024, as per past precedent. “Further, according to a complaint received from N Venukumar and a report thereupon received from the chief electoral officer, Telangana, the commission found that Reddy has violated the MCC conditions laid down in this regard for ongoing scheme by publicly speaking about ensuing disbursement under Rythu Bharosa on or before May 9, which has also been reported in media,” the EC said.