Notification issued for filling up 44 seats in AP Legislative Council

The process of elections to Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council was set in motion on Thursday with the issue of notification for filling up 44 seats from the local authorities constituencies, graduate constituencies and teachers constituencies.

The last date for making nominations for these 44 seats is February 22. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on February 23. The last date for withdrawal of candidatures is February 26.

Polling will take place on March 17 from 8 am to 4 pm. The counting of votes will take place on March 21 for 28 local authorities constituencies and March 23 for the 8 graduates constituencies and 8 teachers constituencies. The election process will be completed by March 26.

The notification for filling up the seats of 31 Council members to be elected by the members of the Legislative Assembly will be issued on February 28 and polls will be held on March 17.

Elections to three local authorities seats -- two from Hyderabad and one from Rangareddy district-have been postponed as the electoral college is not in place for these seats as the term of the elected bodies of 10 municipalities in Rangareddy district and the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad has ended.

The 8 graduates constituencies and 8 teachers constituencies going to the polls cover all the 23 districts. The 28 local authorities constituencies for which the polls are being held are spread over 21 districts. As many as 12,59,899 voters are enrolled in the eight graduate constituencies and 1,14,171 voters are enrolled in the 8 teachers constituencies.

The Legislative Council has a total strength of 90. Of this number, 78 members are elected from the Assembly, local authorities, graduates and teachers constituencies while 12 members are nominated by the Governor from among intellectuals and professionals representing different fields.

The AP Legislative Council was abolished during the Telugu Desam Party rule in June 1985. The Congress promised revival of the Legislative Council in its election manifesto for 2004 Assembly elections. After the Congress regained power, the UPA government enacted the Bill for revival of the Council in December 2005.

The AP Legislative Council Bill received the President of India's assent in January 2006. The Election Commission demarcated the graduates, teachers and local authorities constituencies and enrolled the voters for the graduates and teachers constituencies before announcing the poll schedule.