By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Government has issued a clarification memo to state election commission affirming that Muslims under Backward Class (E) category are eligible to contest from 34% BC reserved seats in the urban local bodies’ elections.
Sameer Sharma principal secretary to state Govt. under Governor E.S.L. Narsimhan issued a memo no. 5249/ELEC.I/2014 on 11th and clarified those Muslim minorities who are included under BC (E) category can contest elections under BC category reserved seats.
Clarification notice gave the reference of memo 7452/ELEC.II/2009 which was issued during Greater Hyderabad Municipal Elections to make amendments in A.P Municipal Corporation conduct of elections rules (2005) which entitled BC Muslims to contest from reserved seats.
146 Municipalities and 10 Municipal corporations across Andhra Pradesh are going for polls to elect councils on March 30th.
Controversy began when returning officers refused to accept nomination papers of Muslim candidates who wished to contest from BC reserved wards.
During preparation of electoral rolls and enumeration of voters, Muslims were classified as BC voters as per the AP reservation of backward classes Muslims Act 2007, so major Muslim dominated wards are reserved for BC candidates. But with the diktat from election commission claiming BCE reservation is applicable only for education and jobs; returning officers were not accepting nomination papers of Muslim candidates from BC reserved seats which also happens to be community dominated.
With the clarification notice from the Governor decks are now cleared for election commission to accept the nomination of BC E Muslims from reserved wards.
Out of 10 corporations going for polling Vijaywada, Nellore, Kadapa, Anantapur, Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Chittor has huge concentration of Muslim population. Other 146 small Municipalities also have considerable Muslim presence.
The last date of filing of nominations for municipal corporations is March 13 and for municipalities it’s March 14.
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AP Muslims taken for a ride over political reservation in urban bodies’ elections