Friday, Apr 19, 2024 | Last Update : 06:17 PM IST
Apex Court upholds AP elections postponement
Suspending Model Code of Conduct comes as a relief to CM Jagan
Vijayawada: It’s a win-win situation to Andhra Pradesh state government and State Election Commission as the Supreme Court has given verdict to postpone the local body election, but also to lift the Model Code of Conduct with immediate effect.
The SC Bench headed by chief justice Bobde on Wednesday upheld the decision of SEC about the postponement of elections for six weeks in view of Covid-19.
It also suspended the MCC restrictions till further notification, clearing the path for YSRC government to make a mega event of 26.6 lakh house pattas distribution programme scheduled on Telugu New Year Ugadi.
Earlier C M Jagan had lashed out on SEC over the decision of election postponement for six weeks without consulting the government to know the actual situation of Covid-19 in the state.
He conducted a press meet against the decision, lambasting State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar.
Further, AP government chief secretary Nilam Sawhney wrote a letter to SEC requesting to continue elections, to which election commissioner N Ramesh Kumar defended his action in the reply.
The AP government then filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the SEC decision, which has led to the SC’s current verdict. However, the SC in its verdict affirmed that SEC can take decision when to conduct local body elections.
