SEC calls for conduct of local body polls sans hassles in state

Hyderabad: The State Election Commission Commissioner Rani Kumudini on Thursday said that local body elections should be conducted efficiently in the state.

The State Election Commissioner had a video conference with the district collectors on the preparedness of the Panchayat elections. The State Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, State DGP Shivdhar Reddy, along with other Election Commission officials also participated in the review meeting with election officials of all districts - collectors, police officers, additional collectors, and Panchayat officials through video conference on the conduct of Sarpanch and ward member elections, voter list objections, polling stations, reservation process, and law and order issues.

Earlier a day before, the SEC had started the preparations for Gram Panchayat elections in the state and announced the schedule for the publication of electoral rolls in all the GPs. Now, the SEC is contemplating to conduct second ordinary elections to Gram Panchayat short. The Commission has directed the district Panchayat officers to examine the electoral rolls and to rectify mis-mappings, if any and re-arrange and republish the photo electoral rolls of the Gram Panchayats, as per the schedule.

The disposal of the requests and objections by the DPOs concerned will be done by November 22. The final re-publication of the photo electoral rolls of respective Gram Panchayats where changes were carried out duly indicating GP/Ward/Division by the District Panchayat officer will be done by November 23. Republication of polling stations duly incorporating the changed voter strength will be done by November 23. The DPs should re-publish the final photo electoral lists by carrying out the valid changes manually, the notification said.