Local body elections: State Election Commission says will abide by Telangana HC orders

The Telangana High Court's stay on local body elections has led the State Election Commission to suspend the poll process, which was set to begin with nominations from October 11. The elections, planned in two phases, were halted due to a legal challenge over 42 percent reservation for Backward Classes.

Hyderabad: Following the Telangana High Court’s stay orders on local body elections, the State Election Commission (SEC) on Thursday said it would abide by the directions issued by the Court.

Earlier in the day, even as the High Court was scheduled to hear the State government’s order providing 42 per cent reservations to BCs in local body elections, District Collectors had issued election notices for the first phase of ZPTC and MPTC polls.

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The SEC had already issued a notification for the elections on September 29, proposing to conduct them in two phases. Accordingly, Collectors released the election notice for the first phase on Thursday morning.

Under this phase, elections were to be held in 58 revenue divisions across 31 districts. Nominations were scheduled to be received for 292 ZPTCs and 2,963 MPTCs from October 11, with the last date for withdrawal as October 15. Polling was set for October 23 and results were to be declared on November 11.

However, with the High Court issuing stay orders in the evening, the entire election process has been put on hold.

“We will abide by the directions issued today by the High Court,” the SEC said in a single-line press release.

Earlier in the day, before the Court’s orders were announced, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had held an online conference with TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, Telangana Congress in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, and other senior leaders. Since the election notice had already been issued, the Chief Minister instructed District In-charge Ministers to finalise candidates in line with the reservation pattern.

“The TPCC will take a final call on the MPP and Zilla Parishad Chairman appointments. Till then, there should not be any political announcements in this regard,” Revanth Reddy told party leaders during the conference.