Telangana SEC likely to issue MPTC, ZPTC election notification as per schedule

Telangana SEC likely to issue notification for local body elections on Thursday, starting the nomination process, despite ongoing High Court hearings challenging BC reservation enhancements. Elections will be held in five phases from October 31 to November 11

Hyderabad: The reported decision of the State Election Commission on Wednesday to launch the electoral process with a notification for the local body polls on Thursday as per the schedule issued last month has sparked intense discussions, more so because the Telangana High Court is yet to conclude the hearing on petitions challenging the government order on enhancing BC reservations in local bodies.

Even as the court heard arguments on Wednesday and posted the hearing to continue from 2.15 pm on Thursday, the SEC is learnt to have decided to go ahead with the notification for the first phase of MPTC and ZPTC elections on Thursday as per schedule. Sources say the Commission, being confident of a favourable verdict, has asked Returning Officers to begin the nomination process from 10.30 am, marking the formal commencement of the pre-election process.

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The High Court, while posting the hearing to Thursday, did not entertain requests from the petitioners who sought a stay on the election notification.

Legal experts advising the Commission reportedly opined that the absence of a judicial stay would clear the path for the election process to continue unhindered, at least until the High Court delivered its final verdict on the reservation issue.

Interestingly, the State Election Commission and Chief Secretary held separate video conferences on Wednesday with district collectors in the 31 districts going to the polls to review the arrangements. The district collectors were reportedly instructed to release the notification at 10.30 am on Thursday, setting in motion the nomination process.

According to the schedule announced by the SEC last week, local body elections will be held in five phases, starting October 31, and conclude on November 11.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy chaired a meeting with Ministers including Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka before the arguments at the High Court commenced. TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud also is learnt to have reviewed the preparedness of party leaders for the local body polls and directed all District Congress Committees (DCCs) to ensure that all selected candidates file their nominations immediately after the notification is issued.

Five-phased polls

• Election notification for rural local bodies likely on Thursday
• Elections to Gram Panchayat, MPTC, ZPTC in total of five phases
• Gram Panchayat elections in three phases
• First phase of Gram Panchayat elections on October 31
• Second phase of elections on November 4
• Third phase of elections on November 8
• MPTC and ZPTC elections in two phases
• Phase 1 on October 23; counting of votes on November 11
• Phase 2 on October 27; counting on November 11
• Polling to cover 565 mandals
• 5,749 Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) and 565 Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs) up for election