VIJAYAWADA: The State government has urged the State Election Commission to revise the panchayat election schedule stating that it will be difficult to conduct Covid-19 vaccination and local body elections simultaneously.
In a letter written to State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar on Friday, Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das stated that considering the apprehensions raised by the police department and various employees’ organisations, they examined issues pertaining to Covid-19 vaccination and made an appraisal of polling personnel, who form part of the first and second batches of the vaccination drive.
He said it was found that effective immunity would develop only after taking the first dose, second dose of vaccine after the fourth week and another four weeks as notified by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. After appraising all aspects, it was concluded that it will be difficult for both vaccination of the polling personnel as well as deployment for poll duty. If the vaccination is postponed it will be a violation of the Centre’s guidelines as it mandated that all frontline staff be covered in the first phase, the Chief Secretary stated, mentioning that the government is ready to conduct elections after 60 days of completion of the first round of vaccination of frontline staff, who will be involved in poll process.
“The State government, in compliance with the High Court order will like to request the SEC that he may arrive at a revised schedule, which will be in compliance with the HC order in letter and spirit that ‘the parties will make all endeavour to ensure that both programmes are conducted smoothly and successfully,” he said.
Stating that all these concerns have been raised in the Special Leave Petition filed by the government in the Supreme Court, the Chief Secretary disclosed that the SLP filed by the government has been numbered as Diary No 1796/2021 by the Supreme Court Registry and the matter may come up for hearing shortly.
“We once again urge you (SEC) not to proceed further and await the hearing of the Supreme Court in the matter, so that all concerns can be legitimately taken care of and schedule conducive to both the processes is accordingly worked out,” he said, and reiterated that the government is committed to assisting the SEC in smooth conduct of panchayat elections after duly inoculating poll personnel, including police and revenue staff among others.
As regards to the SEC transferring some officials, the Chief Secretary described it as an arbitrary action and the government is considering follow up action on the matter. As the so-called tainted officers are actively engaged in implementation of the vaccination drive, they will abide by the SEC order as and when the situation in the State is conducive for conduct of elections. He further informed the SEC that the government will convey a date for a meeting with officials to finalise the logistics of the elections as well as vaccination as per the order of the High Court to ensure smooth and successful conduct of the panchayat elections.
As regard to the SEC’s observation that the senior officials have made reprehensible comments, he said it is misplaced and the government is taking appropriate action to give required staff to the SEC and the same will be informed shortly.
Govt arguments against elections
Effective immunity will develop only after taking the first dose, second dose of vaccine after the fourth week, and another four weeks as notified by the Union Ministry of Health
If the vaccination is postponed it will be a violation of the Centre’s guidelines as it mandated that all frontline staff be covered in the first phase
The government is ready to conduct panchayat elections after 60 days
of completion of the first phase of vaccination of frontline staff against Covid-19, who will be involved in poll process