AP bypolls burning hole in exchequer; costs Rs 70 crore

Hyderabad, Jun 21: The frequent by-elections in Andhra Pradesh, five times since the 2009 assembly and Lok Sabha polls, are putting substantial burden on the public exchequer. According to official sources, the cumulative cost of all the five bypolls is about Rs 70 crore.

To begin with, the bypolls were held for the first time in 2010 for 12 assembly constituencies and the expenditure was Rs 9.79 crore. In 2011, the bypolls were held for two assembly seats and the expenditure was Rs 1.64 crore. The election for Kadapa Lok Sabha, contested and won by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, was also held in 2011 and the cost was Rs 8.35 crore. In 2012, the bypolls were conducted for seven assembly segments in March and it cost the exchequer Rs 10.35 crore.

The by-elections had to be conducted again for one Lok Sabha and 18 assembly segments this month. The cost of these polls comes roughly to about Rs 40 crore. The by-elections were held in 2010 for 12 assembly seats as the sitting MLAs resigned in support of the separate Telangana demand, while by-election was conducted for Pulivendula assembly and Kadapa Lok Sabha seats in May, 2011 following Jagan and his mother's resignation from their seats after they parted ways with Congress.

By-election was held for Banswada assembly constituency in Oct 2011 as TDP MLA Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy quit the party and his assembly membership and successfully contested on TRS ticket.

PTI