Post split SEC unsure of jurisdiction; election of civic heads to be delayed
Hyderabad: After the swearing-in of the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and their councils of ministers, the stage is set for conducting elections for the posts of mayor, deputy mayor, chairperson and their deputies in 10 municipal corporations and 140-odd municipalities that went to the polls in March in the undivided state.
As members of the Legislative Assemblies and Parliament (MLAs and MPs) too have voting rights in the corporation or municipalities, for which they give their option, the State Election Commission did not issue notification to elect mayors and chairpersons. The SEC wanted the MLAs and MPs to complete the oath taking, after which the notification would be issued.
However, as things stand now, a notification for election to the posts of mayor and chairpersons is likely to be delayed. Contrary to expectations, the SEC is not in a position to issue notification announcing the dates of the election to the posts of mayor and chairpersons immediately after the swearing-in of MLAs and MPs.
Highly placed sources said the SEC is in a dilemma over its jurisdiction. “The SEC has sought a clarification from the office of the Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on jurisdiction of the SEC, i.e. whether it can conduct elections in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh or whether its jurisdiction is limited to only one state, as both the states have now officially come into existence with effect from June 2,” said the source.
Even officials in the office of the Governor are not sure about the jurisdiction of the SEC. “A letter has gone to the Central government from the Governor’s office asking for clarity on SEC’s jurisdiction. A reply is awaited,” sources in Raj Bhavan said, and added that unlike other departments, the SEC was neither divided and distributed between the two states nor has it been included in Schedule-10 in which certain organisations have been exempted from immediate division.
When contacted, State Election Commissioner Ramakanth Reddy said, “We are yet to receive the clarification.”
As a result, the citizens of 10 municipal corporations and over 140 municipalities will continue to be ruled by special officers appointed by the government until elected bodies in these municipalities come into office.
