The Andhra Pradesh High Court has stopped the ruling YSR Congress Party from making direct cash transfers to beneficiaries of government schemes till May 13, when the southern state will complete a single-phase election for 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats.
The court earlier allowed disbursal for today and said it would be stopped for 72 hours leading up to Monday, when the state votes. Around Rs 14,165 crore was to be distributed.
That response was after a petition by student and women beneficiaries of various schemes.
Earlier opposition parties had questioned the continuing cash transfers at a time when elections are imminent, and the Model Code of Conduct is in force. Responding to the complaints, the Election Commission directed the suspension of funds till further notice.
The High Court initially allowed the beneficiaries to continue benefitting from what the ruling YSRCP had said were state welfare schemes running for several months.
On Tuesday Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy accused his predecessor, N Chandrababu Naidu, whose Telugu Desam Party is allied with the BJP, of seeking the centre's help to stall ongoing DBTs in the state to show the ruling party in a bad light.
At a rally in East Godavari's Rajanagaram, Mr Reddy alleged that Mr Naidu - through his sister-in-law D Purandeswari - the state BJP president - sought the centre's help. "They are putting pressure on the Election Commission to stall DBT for ongoing welfare schemes of the state like pensions, and input subsidy among others," the YSR Congress chief said.
"Over the past 59 months, we devised a welfare calendar that outlines scheme distributions each month, ensuring promises are fulfilled on time and YSR Congress will reclaim power on June 4 and, within a week, we will expedite all scheme distributions," he said.
"Women, the elderly, and the youth need to be vigilant. The power of the people lies in their vote, and they will use it resoundingly to make their voices heard in Delhi," he said, as he appealed to people to vote for the YSR Congress Party in the May 13 election.
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