HYDERABAD: Opposition parties in the State on Monday questioned the State Election Commission (SEC) on the need to conduct elections to urban local bodies in such a hurry. They wanted the SEC to go ahead with the elections only after the completion of delimitation of wards and finalising SC, ST, BC and women reservations of wards.
Representatives of Congress, BJP, TRS, TDP, AIMIM, Lok Satta, CPI and CPM were invited by SEC Commissioner V Nagi Reddy for a meeting at the SEC office at Masab Tank. They were asked to give their opinions and make suggestions for smooth conduct of the polls.
Opposition party representatives pointed out that the High Court had asked for the elections to be conducted within five months — 119 days to the government for the pre-poll exercise and 27 days to the SEC for related work. Why then, they asked, was the SEC is such a hurry to conduct the polls?
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Congress leaders M Shashidhar and G Niranjan claimed the SEC had issued the notification and published the electoral rolls in a hurry. “The time in which this exercise was done by the SEC could lead to problems. Sufficient time needs to be given for it. The delimitation of wards too is going on in a very clandestine manner. Nobody, except the TRS, is aware of what is going on,” he said.
BJP State vice president S Malla Reddy felt the SEC should withdraw orders issued on wards’ delimitation and identification of ST, SC, BC and women voters. “We want the SEC to hold polls in an independent and transparent manner, without the involvement of the ruling party,” he said.
TDP leader Ravula Chandrasekhar said the ULB polls were being conducted as per directions of the ruling government, and not independently by the SEC. CPI, CPM and Lok Satta represetatives too criticised the SEC.TRS leader Gattu Ramchandar Rao, meanwhile, said it was unfortunate that the Opposition parties were raising hue and cry over the ULB polls. “In fact, it was Opposition parties that demanded for the polls to be held early. Now that it is happening, they are asking for more time,” he said.
SEC Commissioner Nagi Reddy said that draft of electoral rolls, along with ST, SC, BC and women voter details, would be published on July 10. “Suggestions and objections to the rolls will be accepted till July 12. The final rolls will be released on July 14. After this, the election schedule can be announced at any time,” he said.