Srikakulam: Polling to be held in 38 mandals in four phases

Srikakulam: Political atmosphere hots up as notification has been released by the State Election Commission for the conduct of local body elections.

As per the schedule, polling will be held on February 5, 9, 13 and 17 in the district as well. On February 5, polling will be held in 9 mandals. In the second phase, polling will be conducted in 10 mandals on February 9.

Third phase polling will be held on February 13 in 10 other mandals and finally on February 17 polling will be take place in 9 mandals in the district.

On learning about the release of notification for polls, representatives of employees' unions, Ch Purusottam Naidu, H Sairam, Ch Srinivasa Rao and others strongly opposed the decision of SEC to conduct elections during Covid. They threatened to boycott elections as per the decision taken by their State-level bodies.

They also found fault with the decision of the High Court to conduct elections. Since last week of March last year and until today, the High Court and other subordinate courts across the State have not been conducting physical proceedings but how

can the elections be held during Covid pandemic, they questioned.

Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram alleged that the SEC in the State has been acting unilaterally to conduct elections without considering prevailing health emergency situation in the State.

In a press release here on Saturday, Sitaram came down heavily on SEC N Ramesh Kumar. SEC conducted press conference by sitting in a glass box due to Covid but how can he ask employees to conduct elections at the cost of their lives, he questioned.

For local bodies elections, normally migrant workers from different areas reach their native places to cast their votes. But the movement of migrant workers is likely to cause spread of coronavirus, the speaker feared. As the head of a Constitutional body, SEC is acting irresponsibly, he said. He demanded that the SEC collect opinion of the government and employees on elections.

On the other hand, Srikakulam MP K Rammohan Naidu said that YSRCP government in the State fears defeat in the local bodies' elections. In a press release on Saturday, the MP said that due to fear of defeat, the YSRCP government has been demanding postponement of local bodies' elections repeatedly.

He said the YSRCP government led by Y S Jagan has failed on all fronts and this would get reflected in the ensuing polls. The MP regretted over the YSRCP government not showing any respect towards the Constitutional bodies and courts. Political atmosphere hots up as notification has been released by the State Election Commission for the conduct of local body elections.

As per the schedule, polling will be held on February 5, 9, 13 and 17 in the district as well. On February 5, polling will be held in 9 mandals. In the second phase, polling will be conducted in 10 mandals on February 9.

Third phase polling will be held on February 13 in 10 other mandals and finally on February 17 polling will be take place in 9 mandals in the district.

On learning about the release of notification for polls, representatives of employees' unions, Ch Purusottam Naidu, H Sairam, Ch Srinivasa Rao and others strongly opposed the decision of SEC to conduct elections during Covid. They threatened to boycott elections as per the decision taken by their State-level bodies.

They also found fault with the decision of the High Court to conduct elections. Since last week of March last year and until today, the High Court and other subordinate courts across the State have not been conducting physical proceedings but how

can the elections be held during Covid pandemic, they questioned.

Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram alleged that the SEC in the State has been acting unilaterally to conduct elections without considering prevailing health emergency situation in the State.

In a press release here on Saturday, Sitaram came down heavily on SEC N Ramesh Kumar. SEC conducted press conference by sitting in a glass box due to Covid but how can he ask employees to conduct elections at the cost of their lives, he questioned.

For local bodies elections, normally migrant workers from different areas reach their native places to cast their votes. But the movement of migrant workers is likely to cause spread of coronavirus, the speaker feared. As the head of a Constitutional body, SEC is acting irresponsibly, he said. He demanded that the SEC collect opinion of the government and employees on elections.

On the other hand, Srikakulam MP K Rammohan Naidu said that YSRCP government in the State fears defeat in the local bodies' elections. In a press release on Saturday, the MP said that due to fear of defeat, the YSRCP government has been demanding postponement of local bodies' elections repeatedly.

He said the YSRCP government led by Y S Jagan has failed on all fronts and this would get reflected in the ensuing polls. The MP regretted over the YSRCP government not showing any respect towards the Constitutional bodies and courts.