SEC restarts poll process in AP

Hyderabad, Jun 21 (UNI) With the Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court providing it a reprieve, the State Election Commission (SEC) today restarted the panchayat poll process which had come to a standstill following the quashing of the election notification by a single judge.

The judge had quashed the notification of polls yesterday on the ground that there was no valid electoral rolls for the two phase elections on June 28 and July two.

''We have directed the District Collectors to go ahead with the process of withdrawal of nominations and publication of final list of candidates,'' SEC secretary G N Rao told UNI.

Meanwhile, Pradesh Congress Chief K Keshava Rao directed his party candidates to gear up for the polls.

He had telephonic talks with the party district functionaries to overcome the rebels problem on the last day for withdrawal of nominations, as also Union Minister of State for Rural Development and senior Telangana Rashtra Samiti leader A Narendra to ensure withdrawal of some TRS nominees, who had filed nominations for those seats not allotted to the ally.

Eagerly waiting for the tomorrow's verdict of the Bench, TDP General Secretary and party spokesman K Srihari said the party would move the Supreme Court, if needed.

UNI SM VD HT1557