BJP moves Andhra Pradesh HC seeking fresh election notification for ZPTCs and MPTCs

VIJAYAWADA: The BJP on Friday moved a house motion petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court challenging the notification issued by the State Election Commission (SEC) to resume the election process to the ZPTCs and MPTCs from the stage where it was withheld last year.

The BJP also sought directions to the Commission to start the election process afresh. The petition was filed by BJP leader Paturi Nagabhushan Rao and three others.

The petitioners maintained that though the Supreme Court agreed with the SEC decision to halt the elections in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, it did not give orders that the election process should be started from where it was halted.

The petitioners said the Commission has the powers to issue a fresh notification as per the AP Panchayat Raj Act. As the notification was issued last year, it would deprive those who attained legal age to contest the elections a chance to contest and it is against the Constitution to stop a person from contesting the elections, the petitioners said.

Arguing on behalf of the SEC, senior counsel CV Mohan Reddy said the case should be heard on the coming Tuesday for the Commission to file its counter. When Justice U Durgaprasad Rao sought to know about the schedule of the elections, government pleader C Suman read out the dates of the elections.

Justice Durgaprasad Rao observed that as those who want to contest in the elections want the Commission to issue a fresh notification, the court should give its orders before April 8, the date on which elections will be held.

Petitioners' counsel P Veera Reddy said there should not be any delay in hearing the petition as the matter is important in nature and concerns all political parties. Justice Durgaprasad Rao said he would have time to give orders if the case was heard on Saturday itself and posted the matter for further hearing at 2.15 pm on Saturday.