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The Supreme Court has pronounced its stand on the ongoing controversy between the State Election Commission (SEC), Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar and the YS Jaganmohan Reddy government over the elections to the local bodies. It was more a personal and a political war than a constitutional row. The candid observations of the apex court in its verdict reinforce such an understanding of the controversy.
Ego battle
Dismissing the Andhra Pradesh government’s plea to postpone panchayat polls in the State due to COVID-19 vaccine drive the Supreme Court described the controversy as ego war and it “cannot be a part of any ego battle”. “Ego problem between two authorities is leading to lawlessness. We cannot allow lawlessness. How can resolutions be passed against the N Ramesh Kumar? We cannot be a part of this ego battle. We cannot take over jobs of everyone,” the apex court remarked.
Everyone knows that the COVID-19 is not an issue. Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar wants to hold the elections before he retires in March. The government doesn’t want polls during his term. Even the apex court understood this as it observed, “We are getting the feeling that the real issue is actually something else and not what is being argued here”.
COVID-19 not a ground
The YS Jagan government’s argument for postponing the polls stand vulnerable as elections have been conducted in the past during COVID-19 and that the plea to defer local body polls owing to COVID-19 vaccine drive could not be entertained by the Supreme Court. “Very difficult to blame or judge anyone. States have conducted elections during COVID-19. Even Kerala did and there is a spike now but we can’t say polls were the reason,” the apex court observed.
Upheld SEC Powers
The Supreme Court has clearly upheld the highcourt division bench order stating that the SEC is a constitutional authority to hold the polls and the reason cited by the state government to postpone the elections have no rational ground. The Supreme Court thus clearly observed in today’s order, “Whenever there are to be elections, you come to the Court! The point of the HC order was to have elections held and it is the SEC which has to hold them!”.
Thus, the apex court verdict leaves YS Jaganmohan Reddy led Andhra Pradesh government with no option except going for the panchayat elections.
-By Prof K Nageshwar
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Tags AP Panchayat Polls YS Jagan
