Jagan Not Sure of Local Polls in the Near Future?

YSR Congress Party president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy appears uncertain about whether local body elections in the state will be held in the immediate future.

At a party meeting on Wednesday, Jagan reportedly expressed doubts over whether the local body elections would be conducted in October. However, he called upon party leaders and cadres to remain prepared for the polls whenever they are held.

He alleged that the Chandrababu Naidu government was adopting a strategy to delay the local body elections. According to him, the uncertainty has increased because of the ongoing controversy over reservations for Backward Classes (BCs) in local bodies.

Jagan alleged that the state government could use the court proceedings concerning BC reservations as a reason to postpone the elections if the 34 per cent quota is struck down.

He also questioned whether elections would be conducted amid allegations that around 44 lakh votes had been deleted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

Nevertheless, Jagan directed YSRCP leaders to remain prepared and fight strongly whenever the local body elections are held.

Jagan’s comments come against the backdrop of the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s observations on the 34 per cent reservation proposed for Backward Classes in local body elections.

A High Court bench comprising Chief Justice Lisa Gill and Justice Challa Gunaranjan questioned the state government about the basis on which the 34 per cent reservation was determined and sought details of the data supporting the decision.

The court was hearing public interest litigations challenging government orders providing reservations for BCs in local bodies.

It also raised questions regarding the report submitted by the commission headed by retired IAS officer Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, which was constituted to study the socio-economic status of BC communities.

The court was informed that the report had not yet received formal approval from the government. Against this backdrop, the bench questioned how government orders providing reservations could have been issued based on the report.

The court also asked why the underlying statistical data was not being disclosed if the government was relying on figures contained in the report to justify the reservation.

As the hearing could not be completed within the available court time, the bench adjourned the matter to September 16.