Furnish TSTDC MD’s Tirumala visit records: HC to govt.

Telangana HC directs State govt. to furnish records of TSTDC MD's visit to Tirumala. ECI had asked for suspension due to violation of model code of conduct

The Telangana High Court, on Friday, directed the State government to furnish records pertaining to the visit of Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) managing director Manohar Rao to Tirumala on October 15, declining to stay his suspension.

A Bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti passed the direction while hearing a writ petition filed by Mr. Rao challenging his suspension based on the direction of the Election Commission of India.

The Bench instructed the Tourism department principal secretary to present the records of the TSTDC MD’s visit to Tirumala within three days.

The ECI wanted the State government to suspend him following reports that Mr. Rao accompanied Tourism Minister V. Srinivas Goud and extended official protocols to the latter. This amounted to violation of model code of conduct since the election process was going on then.

Mr. Rao’s counsel told the Bench that even Tourism department principal secretary was aware of the MD’s visit to Tirumala. He contended that Mr. Rao visited Tirumala to request the TTD Board to enhance the allocation of darshan tickets from 300 to 500 daily. The matter was adjourned to Monday.