The Election Commission on Wednesday, 21 September, sent a notice to Andhra Pradesh's YSR Congress Party asking it to make a "clear and categorical public announcement" that Andhra Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is not its permanent president amid media reports suggesting that Reddy has been made the party's permanent president.
The EC said that it "categorically rejects any attempt or even a hint of any organisational post being of permanent nature." It said that such a measure is "inherently anti-democratic."
The notice read, "Any action which denies the periodicity of elections, is in complete violation of the extant instructions of the Commission."
The EC said that if not categorically contradicted, it has the potential to create "confusion" in other political formations.
The EC's notice came after the ruling YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh informed the poll panel about the "unanimous" election of Reddy as the party president on 8 and 9 July this year, however, the party did not admit or deny the allegations of him being made the permanent party president.
Following media reports claiming that he was made permanent president, the EC sought a reply from the party.
The party later told the EC that it had launched an internal inquiry into how the issue had gotten reported in the media. It also told the EC that "necessary action" will be taken by the party once the inquiry is complete.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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