Clouds over early election

Congress claimed presence of 68 lakh bogus names in voters list

Uncertainty has returned over the Assembly poll date with the Supreme Court asking the High Court to deal with petitions regarding the voters’ list. The election date now depends on the High Court’s decision.

The Supreme Court made two important points. One, it said that if necessary the final date of publishing electoral lists could be extended. Second, it ruled that the High Court had the power to give a stay order on conducting elections.

According to the revised schedule, the Election Commission will publish the final electoral lists on October 8.

The Congress has alleged that there are 68 lakh bogus names in the electoral rolls, and stressed that releasing a contaminated list is against the spirit of the Constitution.

Congress leader Marri Sashidhar Reddy had filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission decision to not delete the allegedly bogus names from electoral rolls and reducing the time given to revise the of voters’ list.

Mr Jandhyala Ravishankar, advocate who represented Mr Sashidhar, said they would file a petition on Friday along with a copy of the Supreme Court orders.

Political parties, including the TRS were expecting that the Election Commission would announce the schedule for the elections at the end of the second week of October, and were intensifying the election campaign.

The parties were of the opinion that the final voters lists would be published on October 8, and the Election Commission would announce the election schedule three or four days after that.

TRS leaders that it was in view of this that the EC had denied the government permission to distribute Bathukamma saris which was to start from October.