VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday directed the officials to conduct elections for the chairman and vice-chairman of Kondapalli Municipality in Krishna district on Wednesday (November 24) and directed the State Election Commission to permit the Assistant Election Officer to conduct the election. However, the Court asked the officials not to announce the results till further orders and adjourned the case hearing to November 25.
Following the postponement of elections for the chairman and vice-chairman of Kondapalli Municipality, TDP ward members, Vijayawada MP and Independent candidate K Srilakshmi filed a lunch motion petition urging the court to direct Assistant Election Officer to conduct elections without further postponements.
Petitioners’ counsel N Ashwin Kumar argued that without any valid reason, elections were postponed from Monday to Tuesday and again it was postponed on Tuesday. Taking exception to the postponement of the election despite the court order, Justice D Ramesh summoned Vijayawada police commissioner (incharge) G Pala Raju and Assistant Election Officer Shivanarayana Reddy at 2:15 pm. Shivaranayana said the election was obstructed and the situation was not suitable for holding the election. When the judge asked him as to why he did not take police help, Shivaranayana said he took the issue to the notice of the local police. The judge asked how many times it will be postponed.
The judge observed that it appears that election was postponed not to implement his orders allowing Vijayawada MP Kesinin Nani to vote in the election as an ex-officio member. He directed the AEO to conduct the election at 4:30 pm on Tuesday itself. Additional Advocate General Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy said conducting election immediately is not possible as members have to be notified, which will take time. Responding to it, the judge asked the AEO to conduct the election on Wednesday. Further, he said validity of the vote cast by Vijayawada MP will depend on the Court’s final verdict in the case.
Naming schemes after politicos normal, says HC
The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday said not every decision of the State government should be challenged in courts. Dealing with a petition challenging the naming of government schemes after former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and current Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Prashank Kumar Mishra and Justice M Satyanarayana Murthy said there is no wrong in the welfare programme being named after the leaders and it is normal for the ruling party to name schemes after the politicians as per its decision.