Disappointment over postponement of MLC polls

Hyderabad: The decision of the Election Commission of India to defer the biennial elections to the Legislative Council has come as a big disappointment to the aspirants. The Election Commission deferred the holding of the elections after a review of the Covid-19 situation in the country.

In Telangana, there are six MLCs, including Council Chairman Gutta Sukhender Reddy, would be retiring on June 3. Aspirants in the ruling TRS have started lobbying for a chance for the past some time.

The MLAs of the ruling TRS are perplexed as to why the Commission held the Assembly elections in five States even during the second wave of corona pandemic and put on hold the elections to the MLC seats in which only 119 legislators would exercise their vote to elect the members.

Legislative Council Vice Chairman N Vidyasagar Rao, K Srihari, Farududdin, A Lalitha and B Venkareswarlu are retiring along with Sukhender Reddy

The ruling party leaders and legislators pointed out that it requires only a few members and officials to conduct the MLC elections. "Hardly 40 officials and 119 legislators would take part in the entire election process under the MLA quota.

Adequate corona safety measures can be taken in the conduct of elections in the state Assembly premises which is equipped with necessary safety protocols," TRS senior leader and MLAs averred.

The Opposition Congress leaders alleged that the Commission was taking unilateral decisions in the conduct of elections without considering the Opposition parties.

Strong speculations are doing rounds that the incumbent Council Chairman Sukhender Reddy would be inducted into the state Cabinet and the newly elected MLC and daughter of former Prime Minister Surabhi Vani Devi will be Reddy's successor as Chairman of the Council as and when elections are held.

The term of MLC K Srinivas Reddy elected under the Governor quota would also end on June 16. Since it does not require biennial elections, the Commission is likely to issue notification to nominate the vacant MLC post in the first week of June. The state Cabinet will have to ratify the MLC candidate before the approval by the Governor.