The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked the Andhra Pradesh Government to provide clarifications on its fiscal position by 3 pm on Friday. The ECI needs this information to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the release of funds under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme. However, according to a High Court order, the government can only transfer the funds until midnight on Friday.
The ECI had previously instructed the State to disburse funds under the DBT scheme on May 13, 2024. Due to the High Court’s order, the government currently does not have an NOC for fund disbursal. The ECI is seeking clarifications to expedite the approval process and ensure that beneficiaries do not face any difficulties.
The ECI has requested information on the State’s fiscal position from January 2024 to March 2024, to understand any changes that may have occurred. They also want details on the timing of fund transfers in the past five years and whether certain petitioners are included in the beneficiary lists. Additionally, the ECI is asking about the impact on beneficiaries if funds are not disbursed immediately.
The government has been asked to provide clarification on whether fund disbursement dates are pre-determined and to share relevant documents. All clarifications were required to be submitted by 3:00 pm on May 10, 2024.
