AP High Court reserves verdict on SEC orders to prevent Village Volunteers role in Municipal Elections

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday has completed its hearing on a lunch motion petition filed by the state government challenging orders issued by state election commissioner (SEC) Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar directing it to take steps to prevent volunteers from interfering in municipal elections. The judgment was kept in reserve by the High Court bench.

However, the SEC's directive to seize the cell phones of the volunteers was unilateral, unconstitutional and against the provisions of the Panchayati Raj Act. The Village Volunteer, Ward Volunteer, Village Secretariat, Ward Secretariat Chief Secretary M. Ajay Jain filed a Lunch Motion Petition in the High Court on Monday against the SEC orders.

The municipal elections in Andhra Pradesh are all set to take place on March 10 while the SEC has given a chance for the candidates at 14 wards across the state to file renominations following the district collectors report.