The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : It is puzzling, says YSR

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 21, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

It is puzzling, says YSR

Special Correspondent

`Settled law that courts should not interfere in poll process'

SURPRISED: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy reacting to a question at a press conference in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

HYDERABAD: The State Government has decided to file an appeal before a Division Bench of the High Court on Wednesday seeking a review the judgment delivered by the single judge quashing the notification issued for the panchayat raj elections.

Announcing this decision on Tuesday, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy said the Supreme Court made it an almost settled law that the courts should not interfere in the election process once the notification was issued.

"But, we are not able to understand how this judgment is given," he said in response to a question whether the considered the judgment as setback.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with some of his Cabinet colleagues, Dr. Reddy said the Government would take up the matter to whatever extent it was involved and file an appeal. He said the judiciary, executive and legislature had to play their roles within their limitations but refused to elaborate on the matter as the full text of the judgment was yet to be received.

State role denied

Referring to the alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls, he said that the State Government had no role to play in the preparation and revision of the electoral rolls. It was the responsibility of the Election Commission of India that revises the rolls every year and notifies them. The judgment was based on the petition about the irregularities in the voters' lists of 150-odd villages and habitations, out of the 60,000 villages/habitations, in the State.

Since the exercise involved a large number of villages and habitations there might have been some lapses. But there was ample time for people to file petition for inclusion of their names in the voters' lists. "They should have at least verified the lists and approached the Election Commission," he said.

To another question, he said the opposition Telugu Desam was known for making baseless charges against the Government. "Let them prove their allegations," he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News Update

Stories in this Section