Telangana: Counsels for scientific survey to avoid confusion
When the AAG replied that the State Election Commission would be likely to issue notification at any time.
Hyderabad: In a setback to the Telangana government, the Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to issue notification to conduct elections to Panchayat Raj institutions only after completion of the enumeration of Backward Classes voters and after publishing the figures and reserving seats for BCs.
They told the court that the state government claimed last year in the Panchayat Raj Bill that the BC population in the state is 37 per cent whereas in the comprehensive household survey it claimed that the BC population is 54 per cent.
They contended that to weed out this confusion, a scientific survey is essential and holding the election without completing the statutory requirements is illegal and it would be difficult to reserve the wards for the groups in BC without the survey.
When the judge sought a response from J. Rama-chandra Rao, additional advocate general, he replied that the Directorate of Eco-nomics and Statistics had enumerated the population of the BCs in the state and the state government has those census details.
When the additional attorney general (AAG) urged the court to grant time to file a counter affidavit, the judge said that the court has no objection to granting time, and asked the AAG what would be the situation if the State Election Commission issues notification in the meantime.
When the AAG replied that the State Election Commission would be likely to issue notification at any time, the judge granted the interim order directing the state government to complete the statutory process and then issue the notification.
While adjourning the matter for four weeks, the judge directed the state government, State Election Commission and the Directorate of Economics and Statistics to file the counter affidavit.