In the letter to the SEC, the CS stated that in view of high number of Corona positive cases, the need of the hour is to tread cautiously.
Santosh Patnaik
Visakhapatnam: The Andhra Pradesh Government and the State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar have differed their views on holding panchayat and other local body elections.
While Kumar, who does not see eye to eye with ruling YSR Congress Party, heaped praises on the government for containing Corona pandemic, Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney said the situation is still grave.
The SEC fought a legal battle for his reinstatement after the government reduced his term by promulgating an Ordinance.
Following a letter submitted by the CS, a day after SEC hinted at holding the adjourned poll in February, a video conference by the commission with the Collectors and other district officials on local body poll preparedness scheduled to be held on Wednesday evening was cancelled.
In the letter to the SEC, the CS stated that in view of high number of Corona positive cases, the need of the hour is to tread cautiously.
Entire district administration and the police are actively involved in containment measures. Different States need different strategies to deal with the pandemic.
Referring to arguments that amid pandemic Bihar elections were held, the CS stated in the letter that comparisons may not present the correct picture.
Pointing out that the pandemic so far claimed lives of 6,890 citizens, the government declared that safety and health of citizens is of paramount importance and appealed to SEC to reexamine his decision.
The letter promised to inform SEC the government’s preparedness to conduct polls as and when the situation improves.
