Andhra pradesh: Local polls likely before schedule

Khammam: Local body elections which were due by August 2018 will be held before schedule. State Election Commissioner V. Nagi Reddy has given enough information on it. It may be held in December, 2017 or January 2018.

Addressing the district administration on Wednesday, he said that the employees should be ready three months before the schedule of the elections.

"The elections should be held in a peaceful atmosphere and the election staff should not give any scope to  corruption and irregularities," he said.

He asked the election officials to make ready  ballot boxes and other machinery before the announcement. The officials were asked to produce the required police staff to the government as early as possible. Candidates, who wanted to contest in the polls should be given affidavits by the polling officials and the details given by the candidates should read carefully. He asked them to maintain shadow register for the purpose. 

"In case the contested candidates resorted to malpractice in the elections, they will be announced as ineligible to contest," he said. 

The previous local bodies' elections in Khammam district were held in three phases. But, the district was divided as two districts. The officials should produce  details like gram panchayats, merged villages and others to the State election commission as soon as possible, Nagi Reddy said.