Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India has deferred the election to seven seats of Telangana State Legislative Council, to be elected by MLAs, which are falling vacant on March 29 due to retirement of sitting MLCs. According to ECI, there is inconsistency in the number of seats fixed for this category of seats under Section 23 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014, i.e. 14, and the number of members allocated under the Fourth Schedule of the Act, i.e. 15; that is to say one extra member.  

In view of this, matter was referred to the Central Government (Ministry of Home Affairs), under Section 108 of the Act to remove the inconsistency.  “The response from the Central Government is still awaited.

Once the matter is resolved by the Central Government, action will be taken by the Commission for the filling up of these seats in accordance with the law,” the ECI said on Thursday.

Similarly, three and eight MLCs of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana respectively, elected by the members of the Local Authorities’ Constituencies of the respective States, are also retiring on March 29 and May 1, on the completion of their term.

In addition to these, eight seats in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council and one seat in the Telangana Legislative Council, of members elected by the members of the Local Authorities’ Constituencies of the respective States are lying vacant on the retirement of the members during 2013 as elections could not be held to fill up these seats in time because the Local Authorities were not in existence at the relevant time.

Now the Local Authorities are in existence and elections have to be held to fill up these seats also. 

Source: THI