Jagan govt, Andhra poll panel spar over local body election schedule - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Jagan govt, Andhra poll panel spar over local body election schedule

By | Edited by Sparshita Saxena, Hyderabad
Jan 09, 2021 06:05 PM IST

The Jagan government has filed a petition in the High Court today seeking to stall the election schedule.

The confrontation between the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government and the state election commission reached a flashpoint on Friday with the commission announcing the schedule for local body elections in February in four phases. The Jagan government has sharply reacted to the development and has filed a petition in the High Court today seeking to stall the election schedule.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy(File photo)
Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy(File photo)

Employees Associations declared that they can't take part in the election work because they would be busy with the vaccination exercise. The High Court has posted the matter for hearing to Monday.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

In a late evening official release on Friday, state election commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar declared that the first phase of elections for gram panchayats would be held on February 5, the second phase on February 9, the third phase on February 13 and the final and fourth phase on February 17.

The notifications for these four phases of elections would be issued on January 23, January 27, January 31 and February 4 respectively. “As per the Supreme Court directions, the model code of conduct would come into force with effect from Saturday,” Ramesh Kumar said.

Also read: Special court summons CM Jagan to appear in connection with quid pro quo case

The state government strongly objected to the unilateral announcement of the schedule for the conduct of local body elections by the SEC. “This is nothing but defying the directions of the Supreme Court, which said the state election commission should decide the schedule only after consulting with the state government on its preparedness,” state principal secretary, panchayat raj, Gopala Krishna Dwivedi said in a statement.

He said the three-member committee of senior officials, headed by chief secretary Adityanath Das, which met Ramesh Kumar, categorically told him that the elections to local bodies could not be conducted due to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic situation and the vaccination programme being rolled out by the Government of India from January 13.

“The commissioner did not heed to the suggestions given by the state government, which said the conduct of elections was not possible as the entire government machinery would be busy with the vaccination programme. He has announced the schedule without caring for the public health and sought to play with the lives of the people,” Dwivedi said.

Ramesh Kumar, however, defended his decision to hold the elections in February as the state government’s excuses were untenable. “Hitherto, the government sought postponement citing a second Corona wave and also a winter spike. But it did not happen and the incidence of daily infections has come down significantly,” he said.

He pointed out that near normalcy had returned with the opening up of commercial and educational spheres of activity and political mobilization too was going on at a large scale without visible observance of social distancing.

“Now, the government wants deferment of elections on the pretext of vaccination, which is a continuous process. In fact, the phase-III of vaccination programme will extend up to 2022. Hence, elections cannot be postponed till then,” Ramesh Kumar argued.

He requested the government to make all arrangements for the conduct of fool-proof and free and fair elections for the local bodies in February.

Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away!- Login Now!

Get latest Updates of All City News along with Delhi News, Bengaluru News, Mumbai News and Top Headlines from India
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    author-default-90x90

    Srinivasa Rao is Senior Assistant Editor based out of Hyderabad covering developments in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana . He has over three decades of reporting experience.

SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On