PART VII EXTRAORDINARY

A.P. STATE ELECTION COMMISSION

1^st Floor, New HODs Building, M.G. Road, Vijayawada-520010.

RESCHEDULING OF PHASE-I GRAM PANCHAYAT ELECTIONS, 2021

No.30/SEC-B2/2021

Date: 25.01.2021

NOTIFICATION

WHEREAS, the State Election Commission announced schedule on 08.01.2021

for conduct of ordinary elections to Gram Panchayats in the State in 4 Phases;

AND WHEREAS, the State Government filed Writ Petition No.1158/2021 in the

Hon’ble High Court on 09.01.2021 seeking direction to the State Election

Commission to forbear from proceeding further with the proposed election process

to the local bodies in pursuance of its Proceedings dt.08.01.2021;

AND WHEREAS, the Single Judge of the Hon’ble High Court suspended the

orders dt.08.01.2021 of the State Election Commission in judgment dt.11.01.2021 in

the said writ petition;

AND WHEREAS, the State Election Commission filed Writ Appeal No.24/2021

on 12.01.2021 before the Division Bench of the Hon’ble High Court seeking to

suspend the interim orders passed in W.P. No.1158/2021 on 11.01.2021;

AND WHEREAS, the Division Bench of the Hon’ble High Court in its judgment

dt.21.01.2021 in W.A.24/2021 has cleared the decks for holding Gram Panchayat

elections as per the schedule already announced by the Commission by setting aside

the interim orders dt.11.01.2021;

[1]

Registered No. HSE-49/2016

No.7

AMARAVATI, MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021

G.639

NOTIFICATIONS BY GOVERNMENT

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ANDHRA PRADESH GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY

_______________________________________________________________

AND WHEREAS, the State Government in its letter dt.22.01.2021 stated that

an SLP (Diary No.1796/2021 has been filed before the Hon’ble Supreme Court

against the order dt. 21.01.2021 in W.A.24/2021 passed by the Division Bench of the

Hon'ble High Court and requested the Commission not to proceed further and await

the hearing of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the matter;

AND WHEREAS, the State Election Commission convened a video conference

with the Collectors, Superintendents of Police and other district officials on

23.01.2021 at 3:00 pm and a communication was also sent to the Chief Secretary,

Director General of Police, Principal Secretary (Panchayat Raj), Principal Finance

Secretary and Commissioner (Panchayat Raj) to join the State Election Commissioner

to review the preparedness for conduct of Gram Panchayat elections besides

requesting the Chief Secretary to give necessary permission to the Collectors and

other district officials to participate in it;

AND WHEREAS, the State Government officials neither participated nor issued

instructions to the Collectors and other officials to participate in said video

conference and a communication was received from the Chief Secretary requesting

to defer the Video Conference on 23.01.2021 as the Government has filed an SLP in

the Hon’ble Supreme Court;

AND WHEREAS, the Commission has received information from several

quarters that necessary arrangements were not made by the district administrations

to receive nominations scheduled from 25.01.2021 for Phase-I of Gram Panchayat

elections awaiting instructions from the Government;

AND WHEREAS, the State Election Commission came to a conclusion that the

election process has been vitiated as the district administration has not made

arrangements for receiving nominations for the Phase-I Gram Panchayat elections

scheduled from 25.01.2021;

AND WHEREAS, the Hon’ble Supreme Court on 25.01.2021 pronounced in SLP

filed by the Government has upheld the judgment of the Division Bench of the

Hon’ble High Court paving the way for conduct of Gram Panchayat elections;

NOW, THEREFORE, under the above circumstances, the State Election

Commission in exercise of the powers conferred under Rule 7 of Andhra Pradesh

Panchayat Raj (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2006 read with Section 200 & 201-A(1)

of Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (Act 13 of 1994) and Article 243K of the

Constitution of India, hereby, reschedules the Phase-I Gram Panchayat elections

notified vide Notification No.30/SEC-B2/2021, dt.23.01.2021, as indicated in

Annexure-I appended to this Notification, as Phase-IV of Gram Panchayat elections.

The Revenue Division and the Mandals were already indicated in the Commission’s

Notification dt.23.01.2021. As a consequence thereof, the Phase-II, Phase-III and

Phase-IV Gram Panchayat elections notified in the said Notification dt.23.01.2021

will become Phase-I, Phase-II and Phase-III respectively.

N. RAMESH KUMAR

State Election Commissioner

Andhra Pradesh

ANDHRA PRADESH GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY

_______________________________________________________________

ANNEXURE-I

(Notification No.30/SEC-B2/2021, Date: 25.01.2021)

ORDINARY ELECTIONS TO GRAM PANCHAYATS – 2021

ELECTION SCHEDULE FOR PHASE-IV

S. No

ACTIVITY

SCHEDULE

(a) Date of issue of Election Notice by the Returning

Officer in Form-I under Rule 6 of Andhra Pradesh

Panchayat Raj (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2006.

10.02.2021

(From this date,

nominations can be filed

between 10.30 A.M.to

5.00 P.M.)

(b) Display of Ward-wise electoral roll of Gram

Panchayat by Returning Officer under Rule 5 of said

rules.

10.02.2021

Last Day for Receipt of Nominations

12.02.2021

(Up to 5:00 PM)

Scrutiny of Nominations

13.02.2021

(From 8:00 AM onwards)

Appeal against Rejection of Nominations before the

Appellate Authority (Revenue Divisional Officer

concerned)

14.02.2021

(Up to 5:00 PM)

Disposal of Appeals by the Appellate Authority

15.02.2021

Last date for Withdrawal of Candidatures

16.02.2021

(Upto 3:00 PM)

Publication of Final List of Contesting Candidates

16.02.2021

(After 3:00 PM)

Conduct of Poll, wherever necessary

21.02.2021

(From 6.30 AM to

3.30 PM)

Counting of Votes

21.02.2021

(From 4.00 PM onwards)

10.

Declaration of Results

Soon after the

completion

of counting of votes

11.

(a) Date of conduct of election of Upa-Sarpanch under

Section 14 (10) of Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act,

1994.

On the same date on

which results are

declared.

(b) If for any reason, the election of Upa-Sarpanch is

not held on the date aforesaid, it shall be held on the

next day, whether or not it is a holiday observed by

the Gram Panchayat.

NOTE: The Collectors & District Election Authorities shall ensure that no election notice is

given in respect of Gram Panchayats where a Court of law issued orders restraining the

holding of elections to them (or) holding of election is not feasible due to administrative /

legal impediments.

N. RAMESH KUMAR

State Election Commissioner

Andhra Pradesh

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