AP Chief Secretary Adityanath Das Writes To SEC On Local Body Polls

The state is currently in the process of vaccinating Covid Frontline Warriors. They are also crucial in electoral duties. We are moving forward with central guidelines to get the vaccine to them before others. Those who have been vaccinated primarily must be under observation for a few days. Are there any allergies or reactions? Are there other health problems? Etc; should be constantly monitored. They also need to take a second dose. Some time is required for all this. Under such circumstances, it is not practical for them to participate in electoral duties. The High Court, on the other hand, has made it clear that vaccination is important along with elections. We are going to the Supreme Court as it is not practical to hand over election duties to the same staff while conducting the vaccination process. The case is set to be heard in the Supreme Court on Monday.   

- Letter from CS Adityanath Das to SEC Nimmagadda

Amaravati: Chief Secretary Adityanath Das has made it clear that the state government's stance is not against the panchayat elections. He said the state government was committed to ensuring the smooth conduct of elections and had launched a vaccination program for Covid Frontline Warriors in the state and they shall be vaccinated as per the central government guidelines. To this end, he wrote a letter to the state election commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar on Friday. "According to the guidelines of the Central Health Department, the vaccine should be given in two doses. A period of four weeks is required between the first and second doses. Four weeks after taking the second dose, they develop complete antibodies, according to the Union Ministry of Health. These frontline warriors will also be crucial in those duties if elections are to be held. And how to vaccinate them as the central guidelines on this are not given." "Overworking is risking their health and lives," the letter said. The state government has filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court against the High Court orders regarding the panchayat elections, which will come up for hearing on Monday, CS said in his letter.

Keep in view the health of the people.

The government is ready to conduct panchayat elections 60 days after the first dose of vaccine is given to the personnel involved in the election process, CS said. In his letter, Das requested the SEC to take these factors into consideration and move forward with the electoral process in terms of public health and public welfare. Panchayat Raj Principal Secretary Gopalakrishna Dwivedi and Commissioner Girija Shankar went to the SEC office to hand over the letter but Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar did not want to meet them. The letter was taken by his personal secretary.

These are the main points in the letter written by CS to SEC.

The State Government is aware that the Model Code of Conduct came into force with the orders of the High Court. SEC fired some officers for non-compliance with regulations. Those officers were involved in the implementation of the 'Covid-19 Vaccination' program.

The state does not currently have favorable conditions for holding elections. The government is committed to holding elections when favorable conditions arise.

Before issuing election schedules, meaningful consultations should be held with district and state-level officials to assess whether the government is ready for elections. The High Court has directed that elections and vaccinations should be conducted smoothly. They made it clear that they were both important. The state government has the utmost respect for SEC and is ready to give as much staff as it needs to SEC.

Following the High Court orders on the election schedule, we bring to your notice the views expressed by the officers of the Police Department and various departments involved in the election process on a large scale. Vaccination should be provided to the staff of these departments conducting the electoral process under the first and second installments. They are already implementing a vaccination program for these staff.

It is not possible to conduct a simultaneous election and vaccination program. According to the guidelines issued by NDMA, the person develops immunity 60 days after the first dose of the vaccine. If elections are held in this situation, it will be as if the Center has violated the directives. CS requested the SEC to revise the election schedule so that the elections and vaccinations can be conducted smoothly as per the directions of the High Court.

The government has a responsibility to take care of the health of those involved in the election process. The Frontline Workers will be used for the electoral elections only when their immunity is enhanced after the completion of the vaccination process. The SEC petition filed by the state government in the Supreme Court explaining these issues will come up for hearing on Monday.

Election, polling staff, police, revenue, Panchayat Raj, and other departmental officials have demanded that the elections be held only after the vaccination program is fully implemented. The state health department is ready to give the vaccine to the officers involved in the election duties and instill morale in them.