The State Election Commission on Saturday ruled out postponement or counter-remanding of the civic elections in Pulivendula municipality in Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy's home constituency.
State Election Commissioner Dr A V S Reddy said there was no question of countermanding or postponing the civic polls in Pulivendula. Rejecting the main opposition Telugu Desam Party's demand in this regard, he said that he had talked to the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police in Kadapa district and was satisfied with the foolproof arrangements for polling in a free and fair manner.
"I have gone into the complaint from TDP seeking countermanding of the polls in Pulivendula. But I cannot do that. The SEC has no powers to postpone elections once the polling commenced, except in emergency circumstances such as large-scale violence, terrorist acts or natural calamities," Reddy said.
He said that since the prohibitory orders on the assembly of five or more persons under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code were in force, the police had taken some local TDP leaders into custody when they were going round in violation of the ban orders. Consequently, the TDP said it was boycotting the polls in Pulivendula.
The State Election Commissioner said that the polling was going on smoothly in a peaceful manner, barring minor odd incidents of clashes. There were no major incidents so far. The police had made unprecedented security arrangements for the civic polls by deploying 62,000 personnel.
"I am an ex-serviceman. I can say that it is a corps of police force out there to ensure peaceful and fair elections," he said and sought the cooperation of all political parties and contestants.
Meanwhile, the TDP, in a memorandum to the SEC, alleged that the Congress was making attempts to rig the polls in several municipalities by deploying rowdies and factional toughies and seeking the help of pliable police personnel.
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