VIJAYAWADA: Even as the State Election Commission officials asserted that they have prepared the ground for conducting panchayat elections, the State government is yet to take a call on the matter as it has to review percentage of reservation in accordance with the order of the Supreme Court.
With the apex court ordering that reservations should not cross 50 per cent, the State government needs to bring in an ordinance to fix reservation for panchayats and wards.
“At present, reservation in the State is more than 60 per cent and the government has to reduce the reservation to 50 per cent. Later, it should fix the category-wise (SC, ST, BC, women) reservations for panchayats and wards. After completing all the formalities, we will conduct the elections,’’ said a State Election Commission official.
Though the term of the panchayats expired nearly 11 months ago, the previous government did not conduct panchayat elections due to various reasons. The new government is expected to take some time for holding civic polls as it is focusing on delivering better services to people in the rural areas by appointing village volunteers and setting up village Secretariats.
An official of the State Election Commission said they came across reports that the government may conduct the panchayat elections only after formation of new districts and appointment of village volunteers. “However, we are reminding the government by writing letters from time to time,” he said. “On our part, we have completed preparations and procured ballot papers. We are waiting for a decision from the State government,’’ he said.
The government has recently sanctioned around Rs 9 crore out of Rs 13 crore required for the poll panel. “We have to conduct elections three months before expiry of the term of local bodies. But, now the elections are delayed by almost a year. We hope that the government will come up with a decision at the earliest so that the panchayats will be able to get Niti Aayog funds,’’ he said.
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