Andhra HC green signal to Eluru Corporation poll with riders

Hearing a batch of petitions on the lapses in the electoral roll, Justice DVSS Somayajulu on Monday issued orders staying elections to the Eluru Municipal Corporation. 
Andhra Pradesh High Court. (File Image)
Andhra Pradesh High Court. (File Image)

VIJAYAWADA: A division bench of Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday stayed the single judge order not to conduct elections to the Eluru Municipal Corporation. The division bench said the elections can be conducted as scheduled on Wednesday but asked the officials not to count the votes or announce the results.

Hearing a batch of petitions on the lapses in the electoral roll, Justice DVSS Somayajulu on Monday issued orders staying elections to the Eluru Municipal Corporation. Principal Secretary (municipal administration) and Commissioner, Eluru Municipal Corporation moved a house motion petition in the High Court seeking lifting of the stay by the single judge bench. 

The bench of Chief Justice Arup Kumar Goswami and Justice C Praveen Kumar heard the matter. Advocate General S Sriram informed the court that the copy of the orders of the single judge bench issued on March 5 last year was received by the government on June 5. In the meantime, on March 9 last year, the State Election Commission (SEC) issued notification for the elections to urban local bodies. 

Sriram informed the court that the SEC decided to conduct the elections based on January 1, 2019 voters’ list. Sriram said that once the election process commenced, any petition related to the election process cannot be filed before a court and it is the Election Tribunal, which should be approached.

The division bench issued interim orders staying the single judge bench orders and said elections can be held as scheduled. The court, however, asked the officials not to take up counting of votes or declare the results of the elections and posted the matter to March 23 for further hearing. 

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