Tadepalli (Andhra Pradesh) [India], October 10 : Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) State Coordinator Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy on Saturday called on the party's Legal Cell to act as a "protective shield" for candidates in the upcoming local-body elections and provide legal support from nomination to counting, a release said.
Addressing the Legal Cell meeting at the YSRCP Central Office in Tadepalli as the chief guest, Sajjala said district-level legal war rooms, constituency-level task forces and a state-level coordination mechanism should be established immediately.
YSRCP General Secretaries Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy, Lella Appireddy, Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy and Pudi Srihari, Legal Cell State President Malasani Manohar Reddy, Working President Sudarshan Reddy, State Committee members, district presidents and Assembly constituency presidents participated in the meeting.
Sajjala questioned the government’s hurry to conduct local elections before completion of the SIR process and publication of the final electoral rolls. "Conducting elections before newly eligible voters are included would affect their constitutional right to vote," he said.
He also demanded that the BC Reservation Commission report be placed in the public domain and that the basis for fixing reservation percentages be disclosed, as per a release.
He said the real electoral battle begins at the nomination stage. "Candidates and alternative candidates must keep caste certificates, NOCs and other documents ready in advance. Sensitive areas, nomination centres, polling stations and strong rooms should be identified and closely monitored. Every violation by officials, police or others must be digitally recorded and escalated for legal, media and Election Commission action.
Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy said the Legal Cell had stood by party workers facing cases, arrests and harassment. Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy said lawyers must ensure that no nomination is rejected on technical grounds and provide immediate legal remedies wherever necessary.
Malasani Manohar Reddy said 24-hour legal assistance should be ensured across the state and task forces completed without delay.
The meeting resolved to provide complete legal protection to YSRCP candidates from nomination to counting.