VIJAYAWADA: The stage is set for the conduct of the local body elections, with the State Election Commission (SEC) likely to release the poll schedule on Saturday as the State government has handed over the list of reservations for BCs, SCs and STs for the posts of MPPs and ZPTCs to the SEC. State Election Commissioner N Ramesh Kumar on Friday announced that the schedule will be released on Saturday.
As far as ZPTCs and MPPs are concerned, the share of seats allocated to women is more than that set aside for the general category. Of the total 660 ZPTCs/MPPs, as many as 330 are earmarked for women and the number of women contestants could increase, officials said.
It is likely that the SEC will go for two-phase polls for MPTCs and ZPTCs — on March 21 and 24 — while the municipal elections will be held on March 27. Counting may be held on March 29 as the government has decided to complete the poll process before the end of the month as per the High Court’s directions.
Women get 7 ZP chair seats
Women will get priority to be chairpersons of zilla parishads as the govt reserved 7 of the 13 posts for women. Of the seven, two are for BC women, one each for SCs & STs