The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh, has communicated with the Election Commission concerning the gathering of voter information deemed "sensitive" by Narayana Educational Institution from the families of students.
The missive asserts that Narayana Educational Institutions, owned by former Minister and TDP leader P. Narayana, solicited personal details of students' family members residing in the Nellore district.
Outlined in the correspondence to the state's Chief Electoral Officer by L. Appi Reddy, MLC, and YSRCP general secretary, is the contention that enrollment forms requested personal information such as the ward or booth number of a student's family members.
"By procuring sensitive voter ID and booth number data, Narayana Educational Institutions are infringing upon the personal privacy of voters, contravening the democratic ethos," stated the letter addressed to the ECI.
The YSRCP, under the leadership of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, has dispatched a communication to the Chief Electoral Officer, highlighting concerns regarding the data collection process initiated by the educational institution for admissions. Additionally, it alleged that the institution's proprietor, P. Narayana, has a history of criminal conduct.
The YSRCP also urged for action against the purported acquisition of sensitive data for admission purposes from students.
Examining the admission form, as accessed by India Today, reveals 14 sections of data collection categorized under distinct subheadings. Alongside requisites such as a student's name and branch, the form, integral to the admission procedure, mandates disclosure of the student's voter ID and booth numbers.
Describing the admission form as indicative of P. Narayana's "ulterior motive," the correspondence notes that he is an "active politician," associated with the Opposition party Telugu Desam Party, and a former MLC and state minister.
The party contended that Narayana, who is reportedly eyeing the Nellore seat in the upcoming election, leveraging such information from students equates to "exploiting students' lives for his political advantage."
"The Narayana Educational Institutions are adopting these unscrupulous practices to sway the family members of students who possess voting rights through coercion, bribery, or inducements. Safeguarding voter privacy is paramount, reducing the likelihood of coercion, vote manipulation, and illicit transactions," asserted the missive from the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh.
The YSRCP has implored the electoral authority to take recourse under various legislative frameworks including the Representation of People Act, 1950, the Representation of People Act, 1951, the Indian Penal Code, and Model Code of Conduct to ensure an equitable, transparent, and democratic electoral process, upholding the tenets enshrined in Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution concerning Narayana Educational Institutions.
Furthermore, it has petitioned the electoral body to hold accountable the promoters of the institution involved in these "unlawful, egregious, unconstitutional, and criminal acts." A comprehensive inquiry has been sought in the letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, along with directives to the educational entity to "cede all data collected from the students."
