AP SEC Making Arrangements For Elections of Pending 11 Municipalities, 2 Corporations

AMARAVATI: The State Election Commission (SEC) has launched an exercise to conduct elections in 11 municipalities, including Nellore and Srikakulam municipal corporations, which were earlier stalled. State Election Commissioner Nilam Sawhney held a preliminary meeting with municipal department officials in this regard along with Municipal Administration Commissioner MM Nayak and State Election Commission Secretary K Kannababu two days ago.

It may be recollected that in March last year, notification was issued for the conduct of municipal elections across the state. However, elections were held only for 75 municipalities and 12 municipal corporations. Elections for 32 municipalities and 4 municipal corporations were stalled due to various reasons.

Among them are Akividu (West Godavari), Jaggayyapeta, Kondapalli (Krishna), Dachepalli, Gurjala (Guntur), Darshi (Prakasam), Buchireddypalem (Nellore), Kuppam (Chittoor), Bethancharla (Kurnool), Kamalapuram (YSR Kadapa) and Penukonda (Anantapur).

Municipal officials have brought to the notice of the SEC that there are no legal hurdles pending to conduct elections for these municipalities as well as Nellore and Srikakulam municipal corporations.

Nilam  Sawhney has directed municipal authorities to submit a formal report to the SEC on the arrangements and requirements for the conduct of elections in these respective municipalities and municipal corporations. The report should mention the preparation of voter lists, finalization of reservations by wards and divisions, she suggested.

Sources in the SEC office say that they would also assess the COVID situation in the state and make necessary arrangements for the conduct of elections as per COVID protocol.

The State Election Commissioner also enquired about the vacant Sarpanch, MPTC, and ZPTC seats in the villages. On Saturday, she met Panchayati Raj, Rural Development Chief Secretary Gopalakrishna Dwivedi, Commissioner Girija Shankar, and other officials. Panchayati Raj officials explained that elections had to be held for the sarpanch and ward posts in the 259 places where elections were halted due to the merger and delimitation of gram panchayats at that time. It is learned that elections will also be held in about 223 wards under various gram panchayats which have been stalled due to nominations not being filed at that time. The Election Commissioner has also brought to the notice of officials that elections are to be held for about 452 MPTC seats and 22 ZPTC seats.

Further course of action would be taken on the elections of the remaining rural bodies after the High Court verdict is rendered. The case comes up for hearing on Wednesday on the issue of conducting counting in MPTC and ZPTC seats where elections have already taken place.

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