Vijayawada: The AP High Court has directed the state government to issue the election declaration to six mandal parishad territorial constituency members before holding the election for mandal praja parishad and for other positions in Mundlamuru mandal under Prakasam district.
A single-judge bench of Justice Battu Devanand heard a lunch motion petition moved by the six MPTCs on Friday alleging that they were not being given election declarations by the officials.
Petitioner’s counsel N Srinivasa Rao argued that though the newly elected six MPTCs approached the returning officer seeking the election declaration, the latter refused to issue them, stating that they failed to bring before him their Aadhaar card in the prescribed time.
He also submitted that the MPTCs approached the district collector and still they were not issued any declaration.
After hearing both the parties, the court directed the government to issue the election declaration to all the six MPTCs before going ahead with the conduct of polls for MPP, vice chairman and co-option members on Friday.
The court was informed that conduct of election of MPP and for other offices was deferred following its direction. On the other hand, sources maintain that internal rivalry among the ruling YSR Congress leaders has resulted in the non-issuing of the election declaration to the elected MPTCs, forcing them to move court for justice.
