The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) has released a notification to hold local body elections in the state later this month. Andhra State Election Commissioner Ramesh Kumar on Saturday declared that state will go to polls in three phases; Mandal and Zilla Parishad elections will be held in the first phase on March 21, elections to municipalities in the second phase on March 23, and elections to grade-1 and grade-2 Gram Panchayats in the third phase on March 27 and 29.
The counting and announcement of results will take place on March 24 (Mandal and Zilla) and March 27 (Municipalities). Gram Panchayat election results will be instant, on March 27 and 29.
While announcing the election schedule, Chief Election Commissioner Ramesh Kumar said that the model code of conduct will come into force with immediate effect.
While briefing the media, he said, “All the ministers and public representatives will have to adhere to the code of conduct, there will be prohibition on utilising the government infrastructure and facilities, like it happens during every general election. There will be an immediate halt of the schemes that influence the voters’ minds."
He further stated that they (SEC) will not allow any programme that amounts to or gives scope to irregularity and bias. On Friday, Ramesh Kumar met Andhra Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan to give a brief report on arrangements to execute the election procedure in the state.
The residual state of Andhra Pradesh with 13 districts has 669 Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies' (ZPTC) and 9,639 Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTC) with 676 mandals.
In the apparent bid to placate marginalised communities, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy led Andhra government earlier brought an order necessitating 59.85% reservations to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Backward Classes (BC) as promised. In a setback to the Andhra Pradesh government, the High Court has quashed its decision to give this reservation, and directed it to conduct elections by adhering to the 50% cap on reservations as per Supreme Court guidelines.