The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : No contestants for panchayat polls!

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 28, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

No contestants for panchayat polls!

Staff Reporter

Polls to few ST gram panchayats in Adilabad may not be held as there are no candidates

ADILABAD: Once again the peculiar situation obtaining in the gram panchayats (GPs) of Ruyyadi in Talamadugu, Gudem in Dandepalli and Nazrulnagar in Kagaznagar mandals has come to the fore as elections to these GPs are announced to be held on July 13. On the same day elections will also be held for the post of sarpanch and few ward members at Gollakota in Luxettipet, Huchenpalli in Laxmanchanda, Jannaram mandal head quarters and Rayapur (K) in Lokeswaram mandals.

Though the first two are reserved for members of the Scheduled Tribes and the third is reserved for members of the Backward Classes there is not even a single member in these categories living in these gram panchayats. Elections to the ST gram panchayats have been announced regularly but could never be conducted since 1995 when the 73rd amendment related to Panchayat Raj Act came into force. The amendment lays down that only a tribal can become sarpanch in gram panchayats falling under scheduled areas. Since then, work in these panchayats is being carried on by special officers.

As no member from the BC community lives in Nazrulnagar gram panchayat there is no likelihood of elections being held this time too.

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