SEC ready to hold civic polls in Telangana

The State Election Commission (SEC) on Tuesday directed all the District Collectors to be prepared for holding municipal elections any time now. The commission is fully prepared to hold elections in accordance with the High Court orders which is scheduled to hear arguments on a single-judge order staying elections to 77 municipalities, on Thursday. A division bench of the Telangana High Court has already given the green signal to hold the municipal polls.

In a video conference with the District Collectors and Municipal Commissioners here, SEC Commissioner V Nagireddy said elections would be held to 120 of the 128 municipalities and nine of the 13 municipal corporations in the State. Elections would not be held in Meerpet municipal corporation now as the division of wards was not taken up. “Over 79.92 lakh voters are expected to exercise their franchise in the municipal polls for which about 8,056 polling stations would be set up in 3,103



wards,” he said.

Nagireddy instructed the Collectors to depute government employees who completed their training in electoral management to replace transferred and deceased staff. He wanted all the election material to be re-examined and replaced in necessary cases to ensure that there are no last-minute problems. The Collectors were asked to complete all preparations ahead of the High Court hearing and make arrangements to hold polls as per the court orders.

Meanwhile, election expenditure has been enhanced for candidates contesting the municipal polls. While those contesting in municipalities are allowed to spend up to Rs 1 lakh, those contesting in municipal corporations can spend up to Rs 1.5 lakh. In the wake of the recent Huzurnagar by-election, it has been decided to put the ink mark on the middle finger of voter’s left hand during the election to the Huzurnagar municipality.