Andhra Pradesh   

Revival of A.P. Council after two decades

Special Correspondent

Polling to be held on March 17 for 75 seats

HYDERABAD: The much-awaited process for revival of the 90-member Legislative Council after a gap of nearly 20 years has been set in motion with the Election Commission announcing the election schedule.

The poll announcement came hours after the Chief Electoral Officer V. Bhaskar, acting swiftly, informed the Election Commission that the High Court dismissed the writ petition of the sarpanches seeking voting right in the local authorities' constituencies.

Polling will be held on March 17 for 75 seats, 8 each from graduates' and teachers' constituencies, 28 from local authorities' constituencies (barring two of Hyderabad and one of Ranga Reddy) and 31 to be elected by MLAs. The vacancies for the remaining 12 seats will be filled through nominations by the Governor. The Commission decided not to hold elections to the three seats from Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy Local Authorities constituencies. The was done because the term of the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) expires on February 10 resulting in virtual non-existence of total electorate in that constituency. As for the Ranga Reddy, only 63 per cent of electorate exists now as against a requirement of 75 per cent in accordance with the consistent policy followed by the Commission for holding elections from such constituencies.

The Legislative Council was abolished in 1985 by the N. T. Rama Rao Government mainly because it was dominated by the Congress members. Mr. Rao also felt that the Upper House was a burden on the exchequer.

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