AP SEC Announces Gram Panchayat Elections Schedule, YSRCP Criticises

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As the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) announced the Gram Panchayat elections schedule, the criticism started.

On the night of the 8th of January, Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar, the State Election Commissioner (SEC) of Andhra Pradesh announced the Gram Panchayat elections. The elections are scheduled to be held in four phases, beginning from the 5th of February.

The announcement came hours after the State Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das wrote to the SEC and met him.

During the meeting, Mr. Das asked to resume elections after the COVID-19 situation is tackled.

Mr. Das said, “Once this pandemic is tackled with vaccination, the state would agree to any schedule of resumption of the halted local election process. In view of the wellbeing of the people of Andhra Pradesh, the SEC may consider the request of (the) State Government.”

After the announcement of the elections soon, the ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) opposed the decision.

Responding to the announced schedule, Kurasala Kannababu, the Agriculture Minister of Andhra Pradesh said, “Everybody knows that Kumar is acting on somebody else’s behest along with a personal motive. What is unfortunate is that he is putting people’s lives at risk.” He further added, “At a time when there was no coronavirus effect, he postponed the polls. Now when the state government is highlighting that there is Covid and vaccination… even curfews in some cities, he has still unilaterally declared elections, indicating that he has a personal agenda or somebody else’s influence on him.”

Mr. Kannababu criticised the SEC to be partial and behave in favour of the opposition, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP.)

Kurasala Kannababu said, “You (SEC) behave in one way when Chandrababu Naidu was in power and another way when Jagan Mohan Reddy is in power.”

A large number of government employees associations have also told Kumar to reconsider his decision in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

They highlighted that at present, during winter, when a second wave of the pandemic is feared to strike with a new strain of COVID-19, the SEC should not go ahead with the panchayat elections and ignore the health and well-being of lakhs of families.

The notification for the first phase of the Gram Panchayat elections will be issued on the 23rd of January and polling held on the 5th of February.

For the second phase, the notification will be issued on the 27th of January and polling on the 9th of February. The third phase polling is scheduled for the 13th of February, for which the notification would be issued on the 31st of January.

The final phase polling would be held on the 17th of February and the notification would be issued on the 4th of February, according to the SECs schedule.

Ramesh Kumar said the model code of conduct would come into force from January 9 in accordance with the judgment of the Supreme Court.

Stay tuned for further updates.

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