Brace for local body elections as notification may come at any time

Hyderabad: Evenas the newly formed cabinet sub-committee on local body polls begins holding its first meeting on Sunday, the ruling Congress has given clear indication to the party men to prepare themselves for the polls. It is clear within the rank and file that ‘notification for polls may come at any time’.

According to party sources, the ruling Congress which is pushing for the 42% BC reservation decided to implement the quota within the party, as there is little hope that it would achieve the desired result, at this juncture. “Since the High Court has set a deadline for polls and it has already got late, there is no rationality in seeking further extension. The cabinet will take a decision favouring polls, after the Ministers return from Bihar (Rahul’s yatra). This time the air is clear and everyone is of the opinion that at any stage, the notification for polls may come,” said a party spokesperson to The Hans India.

Meanwhile, the Ministers’ Committee held a special meeting at Pragathi Bhavan on Sunday evening to discuss the implementation of 42% reservation for Backward Classes in local body elections. The Ministers’ Committee stated that the empirical data from the socio-economic, education, employment, political, and caste survey was presented in the State Legislative Assembly, and a bill providing 42% reservation for OBCs in local bodies was introduced and passed unanimously. The bill was then sent to the Governor.

From the Governor, the bill was forwarded to the President of India, where it has now been pending for the past five months. Meanwhile, the High Court has directed that local body elections must be conducted by September 30. In this context, the committee sought the opinion of Advocate General Sudarshan Reddy on how to ensure that the provision of 42% reservation for BCs in local body elections does not give rise to any legal complications. The committee also decided to seek the views of Justice Sudarshan Reddy and leading legal experts in Delhi on Monday.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu, Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy, and Duddilla Sridhar Babu. Committee member Minister Ponnam Prabhakar shared his opinion with Advocate General Sudarshan Reddy over the phone.