AP district polls postponed to Oct 3

NEW DELHI, Aug 31: Elections from Narasaraopet Parliamentary constituency and its seven Assembly segments in Andhra Pradesh scheduled to ...

NEW DELHI, Aug 31: Elections from Narasaraopet Parliamentary constituency and its seven Assembly segments in Andhra Pradesh scheduled to be held on September 5 have been cancelled in the wake of violent incidents, following Saturday8217;s bomb blast.

The polling will now be held there on October 3. The decision to this effect was taken by the Election Commission here today. Four people, including an Independent candidate, were killed in the blast.

In its order rescheduling the polling for the Lok Sabha seat, the Commission directed the State Government that since three-phased polling in the State would be over on September 18, maximum security force be deployed in the constituency to ensure quot;absolutely free and fair electionsquot;.

A senior commission official said, quot;Through this action of postponing the polling the Commission wishes to put on guard all constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and indeed the entire country and convey that it shall act firmly and decisively should there occur any violence designed tovitiate the purity of the election processquot;.

The order said after considering the report of the State Director General of Police and all other relevant matters, it was necessary that some time be allowed to lapse so that the police can effectively calm the situation and create a proper atmosphere for fair elections.

It said that the intervening period would be used to pursue all aspects of the case relataing to the bomb blasts on August 28 in the premises owned by State Minister for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Kodula Siva Prasada Rao that left four, including an Independent candidate, dead.

The case should be followed with utmost vigour and the guilty brought to book, the order said, adding that the progress should be reported to the Commission regularly.

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The Commission directed the State police to carry out vigorous field operations to unearth bombs and firearms and said wherever necessary, security procedures should be initiated against quot;bad charactersquot;.