VIJAYAWADA: Putting an end to suspense over the inclusion of villages under seven mandals which were merged into AP following bifurcation in five Assembly constituencies in the State, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday issued a gazette notification including the merged villages into Rampachodavaram and Polavaram Assembly constituencies, both reserved for scheduled tribes.
As per AP Reorganisation Order, 2015, Kukunoor, Velairpadu and Burgampahad (not including its revenue villages) under the Palavancha Revenue Division and the mandals of Chinttoor, Kunavaram, Vararamachandrapuram and Bhadrachalam under the Bhadrachalam Revenue Division of Khammam district of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh were transferred to East Godavari and West Godavari districts.
Subsequently, the Government of India in its letter to ECI on September 13, 2018, has clarified that Nellipaka mandal, which was renamed as Yetpaka mandal and all the villages of Bhadrachalam mandal transferred to the successor state of AP are to go to Rampachodavaram Assembly constituency and six revenue villages — Seetharamanagaram, Sridhara Velair, Gumpanapalli, Ganapavaram, Ibrahimet and Ravigudem are to go to Polavaram constituency.
As per the EC notification, Rampachodavaram Assembly constituency will include Maredumilli, Devipatnam, Y Ramavaram, Addateegala, Gangavaram, Rampachodavaram, Rajavommangi, Kunavaram, Chintur, VR Puram mandals and Yetapaka mandal, including all villages of Bhadrachalam mandal except Bhadrachalam revenue Village. Polavaram constituency will have Polavaram, Buttayagudem, Jeelugumilli, Koyyalagudem, T Narasapuram, Velairpadu mandals and Kukunoor mandal, including revenue villages Seetharamanagaram, Sridhara Velair, Gumpanapalli, Ganapavaram, Ibrahimpet and Ravigudem.
7 mandals
Before their merger into AP, the seven mandals were in Pinapaka, Aswaraopet and Bhadrachalam constitutiencies, all ST reserved, in Telangana State.