SEC issues notification for gram panchayat elections in AP; top officials skip meet to discuss polls

The State ElectionCommission on Saturday issued the notification for conduct ofelections to gram panchayats in Andhra Pradesh, a day afterthe Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government, which is vehementlyopposed to the conduct of the polls, informed the poll bodythat the time was not conducive for the exercise.

Hours after the State Election Commission issued thenotification top officials, including the chief secretary,didnot attend a video conference convened by the SEC to discussthe polls as well as the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

The government had asserted on Friday it would be''ready to conduct the elections after 60 days of completion offirst round of (COVID-19) vaccination of frontline personnelwho would be involved in the polls.'' Also, the government's Special Leave Petition in theSupreme Court against a division bench order of the AndhraPradesh High Court giving the nod for conduct of the electionsfrom February 5 was found to be not in proper format by theRegistry, Law department sources said.

The bench on Thursday allowed the SEC's appeal againsta single judge's order on January 11 suspending the pollschedule.

Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das, Director General ofPolice D G Sawang, Panchayat Raj Principal Secretary GopalKrishna Dwivedi did not attend the video conference convenedby State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar onSaturday afternoon to discuss the gram panchayat elections,first phase of which will be held here on February 5, as wellas the vaccination programme, official sources said.

All the district Collectors too skipped the event,citing one reason or the other but mostly ''connectivityproblem'' as the main cause.

The SEC turned down the Chief Secretarys request topostpone the video conference, saying it was the ''rightplatform'' to discuss the state governments concerns over thecoronavirus vaccination programme also.

''I would certainly do my best to address theconcerns on the vaccination front apart from pollpreparedness.The Commission would like to discuss this issueprominently with the Collectors and give instructionssuitably,'' Ramesh Kumar said in reply to the Chief Secretarysletter.

SEC Ramesh Kumar warned that only the stategovernment would be held responsible if the poll process facedany hindrance.

He pointed out that it was the state governments''constitutional responsibility'' to conduct elections to thelocal bodies.

''The government machinery will have to pay the pricefor any such eventuality,'' he stressed, adding that he wouldreport all issues to the state Governor and, if required, tothe Supreme Court as well.

''I trust there will be no deliberate attempt toimpede the (panchayat) elections.If it happens...I willpresent a detailed report to the Governor on who is answerablefor that,'' the SEC said.

As a special leave petition related to the electionswas expected to come up for hearing in the apex Court onMonday, Ramesh Kumar said he would have to report theprevailing situation.

''Its inevitable and I cannot hide anything,'' heobserved.

The SEC wrote a letter to the DGP in the evening,complaining against some statements made by Federation ofState Government Employees chairman Venkatrami Reddy.

''The Chairman of the Federation, who has beenvehemently opposing holding of elections, has made a widelypublicised statement 'The Constitution has given a right toevery individual to defend their life.In continuance of thisright, the Constitution has given the right to kill'.'' ''The Commission views this as most provoking and anunfortunate comment and a potential death threat issuedagainst the Commissioner in his personal capacity,'' the SECsaid.

He asked the DGP to take cognisance of this and keepa close watch on the activities of Venkatrami Reddy as thelatters activities were likely to lead to events andsituations resulting in physical hurt to the Commissioner.

Earlier in the day, the SEC issued the pollnotification under which elections to gram panchayats will beheld in four phases on February 5, 9, 13 and 17.

In the first phase, gram panchayats under 146 revenuemandals in 11 districts will go to the polls, according to thenotification.

The SEC called the gram panchayat elections''historic'', given the circumstances under which they werebeing held.

''People are very enthusiastic to take part in theelection process.It is, of course, a major challenge for theCommission to conduct the polls against the odds,'' RameshKumar remarked.

Panchayat elections are not being held in the firstphase in Vizianagaram and Prakasam districts.

The elections will be held on apolitical basis.PTIDBV BNWELCOME BNWELCOME