Panchayat polls in Andhra to be held in April

Elections to the Panchayat Raj institutions in Andhra Pradesh have been announced today and will be held in April. According to the election programme announced by the State Election Commission here today, polling for the Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTC) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTC) would take place on 6 April.

The elections to the PR institutions are being conducted following a Supreme Court order. Representational image. AFP Representational image. AFP "We have decided to conduct MPTC, ZPTC direct elections and Mandal Praja Parishad (MPP), Zilla Parishad indirect polls in the state," State Election Commissioner P Ramakanth Reddy told reporters.

As per the election programme, the election notice would be issued by the Returning Officers on 17 March and nominations can be filed from then. The nominations can be filed till 20 March and they will be scrutinised on 21 March. Appeals against the rejection of nominations can be filed on 22 March. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is 24 March.

 Polling would be held on 6 April and repolling, if necessary, would be held on 7 April. Counting of votes would be taken up on 8 April from 8 am. Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly polls would be held simultaneously on 30 April and 7 May in Andhra Pradesh, whose division is now a mere formality. Elections to 146 municipalities and 10 municipal corporations across undivided Andhra Pradesh would be held on 30 March.

Amid concerns that the multiple elections would put pressure on government machinery and also political parties, Reddy blamed the previous government for allegedly not taking timely decisions over the conduct of local body polls.

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