High Court directs AP to send fresh appeal to ECI on welfare funds

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday directed the AP government to send fresh representations to the Election Commission of India (ECI) underlining the importance granting permission for release of funds related to three welfare schemes implemented by the state government. The court posted the next hearing on the matter to May 9. 

A single judge bench headed by Justice B. Krishna Mohan heard during lunch motion a batch of petitions challenging the ECI’s order denying permission for release of input subsidy worth ₹847.22 crore to affected farmers, Vidya Deevena funds of ₹610.79 crore for the benefit of students and YSR Cheyutha funds meant for women.

Petitioners’ counsel C.V. Mohan Reddy submitted that the state government provides input subsidy to farmers who lose crops due to natural



calamities, so that they can resume farm works and cultivate crops. The counsel submitted that due to drought during Kharif 2023, state government had decided to provide input subsidy of ₹847.22 crore. But after the Model Code of Conduct came into force, the state government, as stipulated, sought permission from the ECI to release the input subsidy.

The petitioners’ counsel sought the High Court’s intervention after the ECI refused to permit the release of input subsidy. With regard to the Vidya Deevena scheme, the senior counsel submitted that by March 1, state government transferred only ₹97.89 crore of the total ₹708 crore to be released to bank accounts of the beneficiary students’ mothers. ECI also denied permission for distributing the remaining amount of ₹610.79 crore.