CM YS Jagan reacts on SEC for postponement of local body elections

Amaravati: Terming as unilateral the decision of State Election Commission (SEC) to postpone local body polls, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy met the Governor and complained about the irrational move and said they will explore all avenues for justice.

Speaking to media at CM Camp office at Tadepalli in Guntur on Sunday, after appraising the Governor on the decision of the SEC, he said N Ramesh Kumar issued a notification postponing the elections, citing coronavirus as reason, on one hand and transferring officials on the other hand besides taking such an important decision without consulting either the Chief Secretary or the Health Secretary.

On the other hand, the common people also opined that if the elections be completed then the public representatives at local bodies could effectively participate in the Coronavirus preventive measures being undertaken by the State and Union Governments. The elected represtentatives could easily identify the Corona symptomatic people than medical and other officials alone, as they have been in constant touch with the mass in their respective areas.

Chief Minister said that the notification, issued in utter secrecy and without any consultation with concerned and competent officials, is contradictory in nature as elections were postponed and in the same breath officials from Guntur and Chittoor districts were transferred and Collectors were asked not to take up the house site patta distribution work. It seems that SEC was working at the behest of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and was reading out the script prepared by others.

Ever since YSRCP has won considerable seats unanimously, TDP conspired to stall polls to save its face and also to deprive the State of the Central funds to a tune of Rs 5,000 crores which we have to forfeit if polls are not held before March 31, he explained.

For the 9600 posts 50,000 nominations were filed and 2000 YSRCP candidates were unanimously elected for MPTCs.

The Opposition Party was making an issue out of this unmindful of the fact that during 2013 elections, TDP has won 269 MPTCs unanimously.

Chandrababu has conspired to postpone the polls with the fear of defeat and spreading rumours. We have complained to the Governor and will also explore other options as we are the Government elected with a majority of 151 seats in the 175 member house and if the elections are postponed and officials are being transferred what should the elected representatives do, he asked.

As far as coronavirus is concerned worldwide 80.9 % cases were cured by house isolation and in our State of the 70 samples taken, only one case was tested positive and the State has taken effective steps and screened people with care.

In the coming days there will be more cases as deportations from other countries will take place and we are braced up to meet any eventuality. Life cannot come to a halt and we have to move forward.

Postponing election will not be the answer as we have to live with tackling the coronavirus cases for at least one more year. In ten days the elections would be over and measures to handle will continue including prevention of public gatherings.

The State has taken effective steps for screening and setting of quarantine facilities at Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. Isolation rooms will be set up at six places.

This is a continuous process and State Election Commission trying to take over the administration postponing the elections is unfair.