Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced in Amaravati on Friday that he would hold a Cabinet meet next week to review routine administrative matters and the officials are duty-bound to cooperate with the State government and, if they fail to do so, serious action would follow.
Cyclone effect
The Chief Minister told a press meet that Cyclone Fani had crossed the coast in Odisha on Friday and some mandals in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts in north-coastal Andhra Pradesh were affected.
He said all relief measures were promptly taken and there was no loss of life and the property loss was also minimised.
Normalcy will be restored very soon and there was no hardship to people, he added.
In that context, he made certain comments regarding the role of the Chief Secretary and other officials in the State. “We have a strange situation here in Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Secretary does not report to me and he expects me to go to him. Are the officials not aware of business rules by which they are bound?”
Poll and administration
He added: “Of course, there is an election code of conduct in force but election duties and routine administration are different. Those officials involved in election duties should report to the Election Commission and they should not report to me or the ministers regarding elections. But the Chief Secretary and other officials are involved in administration of the State and not in conducting elections. They should report to the CM and ministers. Is there any stipulation in the model code of conduct which expressly prevents them from doing so? Let them show it to me,” said an irate Chief Minister.
He went on to add that he would conduct the Cabinet meet next week and the officials should go by the business rules.
“There are checks and balances in every democratic country and system. We are all bound by it. Even the Election Commission should not exceed its brief. The Prime Minister and the Central ministers are holding review meetings. Is there a separate rule for Andhra Pradesh?” he asked.
‘Nothing personal’
He clarified that his remarks were not against the Chief Secretary or any other official, “but we are all bound by certain rules, procedures and democratic conventions. Are Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah above everything? Can they say and do whatever they want and get away with it? Can they subvert all systems with impunity?”
Chandrababu Naidu said every citizen of the country should fight to save democracy.
“It is not my fight alone or that of the TDP or the Opposition parties. We should all fight to save democracy from a few individuals who are flouting all norms,” he added.