The elections to the local bodies, which were postponed in March, will be held in February.
State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar said the SEC has consulted all the political parties with regard to conducting Panchayat Raj elections. He stated that there are no constitutional hurdles in conducting the elections.
He noted that the Covid-19 pandemic situation in the state has improved with a drastic drop in daily caseload from more than 10,000 to 753. Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar also stated that the Telangana government is holding GHMC elections and that holding elections is a constitutional obligation.
Further, Ramesh Kumar noted that the elections are necessary for getting central funds. He said the State Election Commission was in regular touch with the health ministry and health department to take stock of the current pandemic situation. He assured that the election to the local bodies will be held in the fairest and free manner without any partisan motives.
Earlier in the day, Ramesh Kumar shot off a letter to Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney on the reorganization of districts in Andhra Pradesh. In the letter, Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar said since the elections to the local bodies will be held reorganizing districts was not appropriate. He said the elections to the local bodies will be held in 13 districts, and hence the number of districts cannot be more than 13.
The letter from Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar came a day after Supreme Court Chief Justice Bobde SA directed the AP government to seek permission from the SEC to ground any welfare scheme or development works. Further, Justice Bobde observed that it was imperative for the state government to consult the election commission before continuing welfare programs.
On March 17, the Supreme Court upheld the SEC decision to postpone local body elections in the state but lifted the Model Code of Conduct.
The State Election Commission (SEC) had postponed the election process of MPTC/ZPTC and urban local bodies citing the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a tearing hurry, the Jagan government promulgated the Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 to reduce the term of SEC to three years from five years. The Andhra Pradesh government removed Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar as SEC and retired Tamil Nadu judge Justice Kangaraj. The AP HC had directed the state government to reinstate Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar as the State election Commissioner, and also struck down the government’s appointment of Kangaraj as the SEC.
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