Supreme Court To Hear AP’s Plea On Postponement Of Local Body Elections

AMARAVATI:  The Andhra Pradesh government has launched a petition in the Supreme Court (SC) court, on Monday, March 16, challenging the unilateral decision of the State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar to postpone the local body elections. The court may hear the plea on Tuesday.

The state government has moved the petition demanding to dismiss the postponement of elections, and demands that elections should be conducted as scheduled.

AP government mentioned that Ramesh Kumar has acted unconstitutionally by announcing the decision without informing to government, and AP government has to incur a huge loss due to this decision of postponing the local body polls.

SC Justice Uday Lalit has ordered the registrar of the Supreme Court to include the plea in tomorrow's hearing list. The state government advocates addressing the issue of retention of local bodies before the Justice Lalit bench tomorrow.

Similar the AP High Court has conducted hearing on the Lunch Motion petition over the postponement of local body elections. The state government expressed its concern that if local body elections does not end by March 31, the state wouldn't be able to receive  Rs 5000 crore funds, which it has to get from the 14th Finance Commission.

If the election process does not end by 31 this month, the state government is concerned that there is a risk that the 14th Finance Commission will have to withdraw from the center to the tune of over Rs 5000 crore.

Even Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy lashed out at Ramesh Kumar for announcing the postponement of elections decision, without contacting any of the government officials.

Also Read: YS Jagan Terms SEC Ramesh Kumar Act Of Postponing Elections As Discriminatory