SEC wants municipal polls by October

HYDERABAD: The State Election Commission (SEC) on Friday directed the municipal administration department to get ready for civic polls during September-October this year. This was conveyed to the officials of municipal administration department at a meeting chaired by the State Election commissioner P Ramakanth Reddy.
The SEC wanted the government to complete the BC ward reservation,
50% reservation for women, printing of electoral rolls to enable it to conduct the elections.The term of most of the municipalities and corporations ended on September 30, 2010. They are now being managed by special officers. Their term ends in September.
The SEC was of the opinion that there should be no any further extension of the special officers as already the process of elections has been delayed. When the officials pointed out that there were some court cases pending in regard to Tirupati and Rajahmundry municipalities, the SEC told them that these two local bodies can be exempted from polls and the department could go ahead to complete the formalities to hold elections.
The officials informed the SEC that they would discuss the matter with the minister for municipal administration M Maheedhar Reddy after he returns from Ongole. The SEC wanted the department to demarcate the wards in the upgraded municipalities.