SEC gears up for Gram Panchayat polls

Hyderabad, July 5 : After successfully holding elections to Zilla Parishad (ZPTCs) and Mandal Parishad Territorial Consitituencies (MPTCs) in Andhra Pradesh, the State Election Commission has initiated the process for holding Gram Panchayat elections by announcing the schedule for publication of list of polling stations.

Talking to reporters here last night, State Election Commissioner A V S Reddy said the poll notification would be issued between July 10 and 14 and elections to the Gram Panchayats held the next month.

Describing as tough the gigantic exercise, he said SEC maintained 'stoic silence' in the face of criticism by various parties and carried on its task without fear or favour. 'It is a great experience for myself and SEC staff who put in tremendous efforts'.

The contest would be more intense in the case of Gram Panchayat Elections, he observed, and urged all parties to cooperate with the SEC to hold free and fair polls. He added the SEC had settled for traditional voting process as the number of electronic machines required would be equal to that for holding elections in four states. The Gram Panchayat polls would be held in at least three phases.

Meanwhile, SEC Secretary G N Rao said polling, which was stopped in Sydapuram Mandal Parishad in Nellore following the death of TDP MPTC candidate in Kalichedu, would be held on June 21 while in Ankaspur, where it was stopped due to 'auctioning' of the MPTC seat, it would be held on June 24.

The draft list of polling stations would be published on July eight and the final list on July 14, he added.

UNI