Election Commission grants permission for Telangana Formation Day celebrations

Hyderabad, May 24 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) has accorded permission to the Telangana government for organising State Formation Day celebrations on June 2.

Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari held a meeting with senior officials on Friday to review the arrangements to be made for the State Formation Day celebrations at Parade Grounds, Secunderabad.

With the ECI giving permission to the government, the Chief Secretary instructed the officials to make elaborate arrangements in a befitting manner.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will first visit Gun Park and pay tributes to the martyrs at the Telangana Amaraveerula Stupam or martyrs' memorial. He will then proceed to the Parade Grounds for the main ceremony.

As the state is set to complete 10 years of its formation, the State Cabinet at its meeting on May 20 decided to organise the celebrations on a grand scale.

The meeting decided to felicitate senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi in recognition of her key role in the formation of the state.

However, a confirmation of Sonia Gandhi's participation in the event is still awaited.

In view of the model code of conduct for Lok Sabha elections, the government had written to the ECI, seeking permission to organise celebrations.

The government also plans to felicitate all those who worked for the formation of the state.

Meanwhile, the Chief Secretary during the meeting to review arrangements for the June 2 celebrations directed the police department to prepare traffic route map while assigning alighting /pick up points and parking places and make arrangements accordingly duly providing signage at vantage points.

The police department was also told to regulate the movement of dignitaries by designating pick-up points to ensure smooth and timely departure to avoid unnecessary delay at the time of leaving the venue.

The R&B department was also directed to provide barricading and arrange shamiyanas/shade to ensure that people are not exposed to the sun.

GHMC officials were told to ensure cleaning, levelling, watering, maintenance of sanitary and hygienic conditions at the venue and arrange decorative flags.

The Chief Secretary also directed the cultural department to ensure the participation of artists befitting a carnival atmosphere.

The energy department was told to ensure an uninterrupted power supply duly keeping stand-by team at the venue. All the departments were told to work in coordination and organise the function in a grand manner.