Govt moves High Court against SEC’s decision to conduct local body polls in Feb ’21, Government News, ET Government

The Andhra Pradesh authorities has filed a petition within the Excessive Courtroom difficult the State Election Commission‘s (SEC) choice to conduct local body elections in February 2021.

Panchayat Raj division principal secretary Gopal Krishna Dwivedi within the petition acknowledged that SEC determined to go forward with the election course of regardless of the federal government’s refusal in view of the Covid pandemic state of affairs which remains to be on the excessive within the state. It was a unilateral choice, the petitioner mentioned and urged the court docket to direct the SEC to withdraw the choice to conduct elections in February.

Whereas the SEC is meant to seek the advice of the state authorities and take concurrence on its choice, Dwivedi mentioned the SEC took the choice with out correct consultations and likewise not taking the prevailing covid1 pandemic into consideration. He mentioned the Supreme Courtroom has additionally requested the states to take precautionary measures in view of the probability of Covid-19 second wave.

Dwivedi urged the court docket to strike down the orders issued by the SEC for conduct of the native elections as public well being is the precedence of the federal government.

As the federal government equipment is engaged in containing the unfold of Covid-19, the SEC was requested to rethink its choice, however there was no response, the federal government mentioned within the petition.

The SEC Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar who was faraway from the put up by the state authorities after a standoff over the conduct of elections in March, however he was reinstated by the Excessive Courtroom in October.

Apparently, the SEC was insisting on postponement of elections as a result of pandemic whereas the federal government wished to go forward with the polls. This time round, the roles have reversed — the SEC needs to conduct the elections as a constitutional requirement, whereas the federal government will not be prepared to go for polls.