Andhra government extends special officers governance in local bodies till December

Andhra Pradesh: The government of Andhra Pradesh headed by chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has taken a key decision to extend the special officers governance in local bodies till December. A notification was issued on Thursday extending the rule of privileges in 108 corporations, municipalities and panchayats in Andhra Pradesh. "The notification was issued after the state election commission postponed the local body elections due to the coronavirus," the municipality said in a statement. In fact, on March 10 this year, the exclusive rule of the corporation and municipalities came to end on June 30 while panchayats on July 2.

However, with the postponement of local body elections, the government has extended the exclusive rule of the corporation in Srikakulam only till October 10 and in all other district corporations till December 31. In Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Prakasam and YSR districts, it has issued directions extending the rule of special officers in municipalities and city panchayats till December 31 or till the formation of the new governing body. The notification also said that the rule of privileges would be extended till January 2 next year in all municipalities across the state. With this, the local body elections seems to be on hold for more six months.

It is known fact that the state election commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar has unilaterally postponed the local body elections citing Coronavirus spread, which had irked the Jagan Mohan Reddy government leading to termination of SEC by bringing ordinance. However, with the High Court's verdict, the state government reinstated Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar as SEC.