Andhra: HC refuses to stay local polls

HYDERABAD: Decks have been cleared for local elections in the State with the High Court on Tuesday setting aside a plea of the AP Sarpanches’ Association (APSA) for an interim stay until the issue of 60.05 per cent reservations for backward classes was settled.Delivering the verdict, Justice G Rohini made it clear that the court cannot interfere in the election process at this juncture. As a result, the government’s decision to grant reservations in local bodies will continue. The APSA argued that the Supreme Court had already said reservations cannot exceed 50 per cent.  But the High Court pointed out that the same Supreme Court had said State governments might provide quotas in excess of 50 per cent under extraordinary circumstances. As the news of the court order trickled in, the Congress got into election mode. PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana said the Congress would go all-out to win the polls. “We will face the elections. All reservations provided for SCs, STs and BCs would be continued in local elections,” he said.State Election Commissioner P Ramakanth Reddy said, “as soon as we get a copy of the order, our legal experts will study it. Before issuing the notification for the polls, we have to hold a meeting with representatives of political parties. All this process will take at least three to four days,” he said.As the term of zilla parishads and mandal parishads ends on July 23, elections should be completed by July 22. Official sources said the State Election Commission will have to issue the notification before June 21 as it would take at least a month for completing the entire election process. Sources said an ordinance drafted for the appointment of special officers is still pending with the Governor. In case, the SEC decides to delay the polls, which is unlikely, it will be issued just in time.