It's official, Telangana to vote post October 8

Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India on Saturday gave clear indications that elections to the Telangana state Assembly will be held probably before the year end.  It issued orders on Saturday to advance the deadline for final publication of electoral rolls to October 8, against the original date of January 4, 2019.

After publication of final electoral rolls, the EC can hold elections any time. There is no need to maintain a gap of certain period for holding elections after final voters list is out. The EC’s fresh orders gave credence to caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s statement that that he had approached Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat and the two Election Commissioners before dissolving the House and had secured an assurance that the polls would be held in Telangana state along with four states in November. Based on earlier schedule, the EC had published draft electoral rolls on September 1, 2018, and sought objections till October 31. Now this stands cancelled.

As per revised schedule issued on Saturday, the EC will publish draft rolls on September 10, Monday. People will be allowed to file claims and objections till September 25. Only 15 days have been given for the purpose keeping in view the urgency for holding elections, against two months time given earlier. Disposal of claims and objections will be done by October 4 and updating database and printing by October 7.  The final publication of electoral rolls be will done on October 8.

The EC has reduced the process to less than a month from the draft lists to final rolls in keeping with the urgency to hold the elections. Interestingly, the EC’s orders came just a day after Mr Rawat said that the EC had taken no decision to hold elections in Telangana state along with four states. However, he also cited the Supreme Court orders which said that elections have to held as early as possible after dissolution of House to avoid the caretaker government getting undue advantage by being in power for six months, the deadline to hold elections.

The communiqué issued by TS Chief Electoral Officer Dr Rajat Kumar on Saturday stated: “In the wake of premature dissolution of State Legislative Assembly of Telangana under Article 174 (2) (b) of the Constitution of India on September 6, 2018, the Election Commission of India, after taking all aspects into consideration and the law laid down by the Supreme Court in the matter of Special Reference No.1 of 2002, has decided to stop all the activities relating to ongoing Special Summary Revision of Photo Electoral Rolls with reference to January 1, 2019, as qualifying date in the State of Telangana with immediate effect and also to order second Special Summary Revision of Photo Electoral Rolls with reference to January 1, 2018 as qualifying date in the State.” The orders make it clear that the EC will go ahead with the voters list published on January 1, 2018.