HYDERABAD: Will Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) contest elections in Andhra Pradesh in the future? The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a notice to the party, under Sections 6A and 6C of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, for not fielding any candidates in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in AP. The ECI asked whether the car symbol should be reserved for TRS in AP, or if it should be made a free symbol that can be allotted to others in the future.
TRS senior leader and State Planning Board vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar held a meeting with EC officials on the matter in Delhi on Friday. Kumar said he would consult with party president K Chandrasekhar Rao on the matter and get back to the ECI soon. He told the officials that TRS was recognised as a regional party in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. After the formation of Telangana, TRS was contesting elections only in Telangana.
ECI officials wanted to know whether TRS would be confined to Telangana or would it continue operations in AP and convert itself into a national party. Kumar did not give any reply. He only said he would discuss the matter with the TRS chief and a decision would be conveyed shortly. Kumar also met Director General, Defence Estates, Deepa Bajwa, requesting her to conduct Secunderabad Cantonment Board elections with party symbols. He handed over a letter written by CM K Chandrasekhar Rao to Bajwa. He claimed that the Defence official responded positively to their request.
Kumar also handed over a letter to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to increase the number of judges in Telangana High Court from the present 24 to 42. He said this would ensure speedy justice to the people.