Election Commission puts off MLC elections in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

A view of Election Commission of India building in New Delhi.

The Election Commission of India has postponed indefinitely the biennial elections to the State legislative councils of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which had been scheduled to be held in May.

The six-year term of three members in Andhra Pradesh and six members in Telangana ends on May 31 and June 3 respectively. The MLCs are elected by members of the respective State Legislative Assemblies, and the elections are usually held before the expiry of the term of the members. However, after reviewing the COVID-19 ground situation in both States, the Election Commission announced that it would not be appropriate to hold the election until the pandemic situation improved significantly.

In an official note, the Election Commission stated: “The Commission will take a decision in the matter at appropriate time after taking inputs from the states concerned and assessing the pandemic situation from mandated authorities like National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).”

In Andhra Pradesh, the three MLCs completing their terms are Legislative Council Chairman Mohammed Ahmed Sharif (Telugu Desam Party), Devasani Chinan Govind Reddy (Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party) and Somu Veerraju (Bharatiya Janata Party). In Telangana, the outgoing MLCs are Legislative Council Chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy, deputy chairman Neti Vidyasagar, Mohammed Fareeduddin, Kadiyam Srihari, Akula Lalitha and Bodakunti Venkateshwarlu (all Telangana Rashtra Samithi).

With the ruling YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh and the TRS in Telangana holding comfortable majorities in their respective Assemblies, the new members, as an when the elections are conducted, will be elected without any contest.