The village and secretariat volunteers system is a brainchild of the chief minister of AP, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. As a part of this program, Jagan appointed a volunteer for every 50 houses in the state.
These volunteers know the exact details of the households they are associated with and they are the ones who monitor the welfare schemes that are being availed by the beneficiaries. The beneficiaries are heavily reliant on these volunteers.
Cut to now, the Election Commission has delivered a big blow to Jagan by banning the government from using these volunteers for election activities.
As per the latest order passed by the Election Commission, all the returning officers and election staff are instructed to see to it that volunteers are not a part of any of the election activities in AP henceforth.
While the government might have planned to use volunteers, who have the data of the common public for electoral gains, the new order from EC restricts them from it.
