AMARAVATI: With the Covid-19 situation is easing in the state, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued notification for the conduct of biennial elections to the three vacant seats from MLA’s quota in the Andra Pradesh legislative council.
The poll body will issue notification for the elections on November 9 and polling, if necessary, will be held on November 29.
With YSRCP having a complete majority in the assembly, the ruling party is likely to bag all three seats without any contest.
The seats have actually fallen vacant in May following the retirement of DC Govinda Reddy (YSRCP), then council chairman Mohammed Ahmed Shariff (TDP) and Somu Veerraju (BJP).
However, EC deferred the elections in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sources said chief minister
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had promised to re-nominate DC Govinda Reddy of Badvel constituency for another term.
The chief minister is likely to finalise the candidates for the other two seats next week as there was heavy competition for the MLC berths.
Jagan himself had promised to many leaders to bring them to the legislative council before the last general elections.
Sources said the other two seats are likely to be spared to the leaders from BC and SC categories.
In fact, YSRCP leaders are eagerly waiting for the EC notification to fill the vacancies from the local bodies quota.
At least 11 seats will be filled through local bodies.
Since the elections to almost all the local bodies, including rural and urban civic bodies have completed, the State Election Commission (SEC) had already shared the information with the ECI.
The legislature secretary had also requested the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to take the issue to the notice of the EC for issuance of the notification.
YSRCP would get a complete majority in the Upper House after the completion of the elections to all the vacancies-14 (3 MLA quota and 11 local bodies quota) in the council.
Chief minister
YS Jagan is reportedly contemplating filling the posts of chairman and deputy chairman of the legislative council only after the filling up of the vacancies.
At present, YSRCP has a strength of 22 members, including four independents won through different categories in the House of 58.
Its strength would go up to 32 as it is expected to bag all the 14 seats in the upcoming elections.
The majority in the legislative council would give the ruling party a free hand to handle the legislative business.
TDP enjoyed a majority in the council for about two years even after YSRCP came into power in the state and scuttled the ruling party’s attempts to have its say in handling the business.
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