Express News Service
Hyderabad: State Election Commission on Monday issued schedule and notification for Zilla Praja Parishad and Mandal Praja Parishad elections, in pursuance of a direction to this effect by the Supreme Court.
Later in the day, SEC informed the Supreme Court about the election notification, as per its direction. The Supreme Court will take up hearing in the case on Wednesday.
There will be direct elections to 16,589 MPTC and 1,096 ZPTC seats in the state on April 6. Elections, which will be held on political party symbols, will be held on a single day. The indirect elections for chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of 1,096 Mandal Praja Parishads and 22 Zilla Praja Parishads will be held on April 13 and 14 respectively.
Briefing mediapersons about the election schedule, State Election Commissioner P Ramakanth Reddy said if there is any repoll, it will be held on April 7 and the counting of votes will be on April 8. Results will be declared after the counting concludes.
“Returning officers in respective districts will issue election notification on March 17 in accordance with Rule 6 of Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj (conduct of elections) Rules, 2006. Nominations can be filed from the same date.
The last date for filling nominations is March 20. Scrutiny will be done on March 21, filling of appeals against rejection of nominations will be on March 22 and their disposal on March 23. The last date for withdrawal is March 24, and on the same day after 3 pm, the final list of the contesting candidates will be announced.
In case of indirect elections, notification will be issued on March 28 and issue of election notice to members will be on or before April 9 in case of MPPs and on April 10 in case of ZPPs.”
Since there is a shortage of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) due to municipal, Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, voting in MPTC and ZPTC polls will be done using paper ballots. “We will be using 1,35,000 ballot boxes. There is a shortage of 10,000 to 12,000 boxes and they will be borrowed from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as done during the village panchayat elections last year,” he said.
In all, 2,60,000 polling personnel are being employed for conducting ZP and mandal elections at 50,907 polling stations. The number of polling stations might rise as the voters’ lists are being upgraded. “We have to make arrangements for auxiliary and additional polling stations,” SEC said.
According to the Panchayat Raj department, the tentative expenditure estimate for the elections is `141.58 crore.
Explaining the notification for ZPP and MPP polls at a time when the state is going to municipal, Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, the State Election Commissioner blamed State government for the situation. “Had the State government allowed us to hold the elections for urban local bodies, ZPPs and MPPs in a phased manner following village Panchayat elections, it would have been different. Our repeated requests went unheard. Now the district administrations have a hard task cut out for them with four elections in a row,” he said.
SC Directive
Ramakanth Reddy said the Supreme Court on March 7 had directed the State government and SEC to conduct the elections to ZPPs and MPPs and issue notification to that effect by March 10. “Accordingly, we have issued notice for publication of photo electoral rolls of Gram Panchayts, Mandal Praja Parishads and Zilla Praja Parishads with reference to January 1, 2014, as qualifying date. Today, we have issued election notification and schedule. The government had finalised and communicated complete reservation information pertaining to ZPPs, MPPs, ZPTCs and MPTCs on March 8. Though it was a Sunday, SEC personnel completed the necessary process and notification was issued today,” he said.
On some politicians approaching the Election Commission of India (ECI) for having the ZPP and MPP elections postponed, if not, atleast to have the results withheld till Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, Ramakanth Reddy said the ECI has no jurisdiction over SEC as both are separate constitutional bodies. “They cannot direct us, and even if they do, we can keep aside those directions. However, if either High Court or Supreme Court gives us any directions in that regard, we will oblige,” he clarified.
Asked if the number of teachers available would be sufficient for election work, he said of the total 3.85 lakh teachers, 1.55 lakh are on examination duty and the remaining will be roped in for elections. If needed, the services of lecturers from junior colleges and degree colleges will be enlisted, he said.
ELECTION TIMELINE
March 10: Election notification for ZPPs and MPPs issued by the State Election Commission.
March 17: Election notices will be issued by respective returning officers.
March 17: Filling of nominations begins.
March 20: Last date for filing of nominations.
March 21: Scrutiny of nominations.
March 22: Appeals against rejection of nominations will be heard.
March 23: Disposal of appeals.
March 24: Last date for withdrawal of candidature.
March 24: List of contesting candidates will be published after 3 pm.
April 6: Polling will take place.
April 7: Repoll, if any, will be held.
April 8: Counting of votes begins and results will be declared as soon as counting is completed.
QUOTA FOR ZP CHAIRPERSONS
Viziangaram ST (women)
Nalgonda ST
Khammam SC (women)
Warangal SC (women)
Kadapa SC
Mahbubnagar SC
Nizamabad BC (women)
Karimnagar BC (women)
Adilabad BC (women)
Guntur BC (women)
Medak BC (women)
Kurnool BC
Anantapur BC
Vizag UR (women)
Srikakulam UR (women)
Chittoor UR (women)
Krishna UR (women)
East Godavari UR
West Godavari UR
Nellore UR
Prakasam UR
Ranga Reddy UR
Yet another election notification has been issued, taking the number votes to be cast by each voter to three in urban areas and four in rural areas in the State. The notification was issued under the directions of Supreme Court of India.
reservations
Category seats ST SC BC UR
No of ZPPs 22 general 1 2 3 5
women 1 2 4 4
No of MPPs 1,096 general 60 101 178 208
women 62 101 178 208
No of MPTC 16,589 general 550 1376 2736 3305
women 933 1765 2838 3086
No of ZPTC 1096 general 43 102 186 212
women 58 108 183 204