Poll dates out for MPP, ZP top slots

Hyderabad: The State Election Commission (SEC) on Wednesday issued orders to hold indirect elections for the Mandal Praja Parishad (MPP) chairperson on June 7 and for the Zilla Parishad (ZP) chairperson on June 8.

The counting of votes in the local body elections to Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs) and Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) will be taken up on June 4 following which, the MPP and ZP chairpersons will be elected by the newly-elected MPTCs and ZPTCs. However, the newly elected MPTCs and ZPTCs will take charge only on July 5, following the expiry of the term of the outgoing ZP and MPP chairper-sons.  

It may be recalled that the State government on Monday issued an ordinance facilitating the completion of the election process of ZPP chairpersons and Mandal Praja Parishad Presidents  immediately after the counting of the votes polled in the ZPTC and MPTC elections.

Opposition parties submitted representations to the SEC explaining that a long gap between the declaration of results and the election of ZPP and MPP would enable horse trading and other malpractices as the elected ZPTCs would elect ZP chairpersons while the elected MPTCs would elect MPPs in the indirect elections. After due consideration, SEC officials opined that there was a need to reduce the time between the counting of votes and the date of indirect elections.

The counting date was advanced mainly to prevent horse-trading and malpractices but also in view of the polled ballot boxes which, having been stored inside strong rooms in educational institutions, could impair the academic ongoings in such institutions.