Naidu government cited SC quota rule for not holding polls: YSRC

VIJAYAWADA: Three ministers, who belong to the backward communities, on Tuesday alleged that it was the previous N Chandrababu Naidu government which did not conduct elections to local bodies when it was in power citing Supreme Court’s guidelines that reservations should not exceed 50 per cent.

The then Naidu government, which cited the SC guidelines to not to conduct elections, was now demanding the YSRC government to provide 59.85 quota to BCs, SCs and STs in local polls, they said.
The three ministers, in a statement to the media on Tuesday, cited the affidavit submitted by the then Naidu government before the High Court in September 2018.

“According to Point 25 in the affidavit, the government cited that the High Court before bifurcation of the State had stated that reservations should not exceed 50 per cent. The same will be applicable even in the divided State of AP,’’ the ministers said.

Similarly, in point 27, the Naidu government said that the Supreme Court had allowed 60.55 percent reservations in local body elections during 2013 elections and the same cannot be applicable to any election that will be held in future. “It (SC judgement allowing more than 50 percent reservations) cannot be applicable to future elections,’’ ministers, quoting the affidavit, said.

Citing these two points in the affidavit in September 2018, the Naidu government had refrained from conducting elections then and had run the local bodies with special officers.

“Now, Chandrababu Naidu is demanding us to provide 59.85 per cent reservation in the local bodies. This shows his dual standards,’’ they alleged.