There is a lot of discussion going about the Powers of a Chief Minister during the Model Code of Conduct. In Andhra Pradesh, a Chief Secretary appointed by the Election Commission at the behest of the Central Government is overriding the Chief Minister himself and is not attending the Review Meetings chaired by the CM.
All this is happening in the name of the Code even though the elections are completed. But then, Narendra Modi Government at the Center is making the Election Commission a joke. The other day, As many as 10 additional secretaries have been appointed in various departments as part of a senior-level bureaucratic reshuffle.
The Defence Ministry cleared the acquisition of 10 Kamov-31 choppers from Russia. The cost of the project is around Rs 3,600 crore and the choppers would be used in airborne early warning roles. All these decisions are taken during the same Model Code of Conduct. Elections in Andhra Pradesh are over and the government can not influence the people.
But in the case of Central Government, we have just completed four out of the total seven phases of the elections. This is just an example of how the Modi Government has killed one more premiere institution. Earlier CBI, ED would be used for Political Vendetta, now Election Commission has become one more tool.
