Get ready for elections : MoD to 56 Cantonments
By Coreena Suares Published on 21 Nov 2019 4:08 PM GMT
Hyderabad: The Ministry of Defence has asked 56 Cantonment boards across India to get ready for ward elections, besides reservation of wards. If all goes well, the Secunderabad Cantonment elections are likely to be held after February 2020.
The term of the elected members of 56 Cantonments boards ends on February 10, 2020, and the term of four other boards will be over by June-July 2020. The MoD has directed 56 Cantonments to issue suitable instructions to make necessary preparations for holding of ordinary elections, besides reservation to Schedule Tribe, Schedule Caste and women in their respective Cantonments.
In an official communication dated November 16, the MOD stated, “All boards shall immediately initiate preparatory exercise for forthcoming elections as per mandatory procedure according to Cantonment Electoral Rules Act 2007. These include delimitations of wards in Ambala, Delhi and Dehu Road. All Cantonments must reserve seats for SC, ST and women. It may be noted that the various mandatory process has to be completed on priority before fixing the gazette notification of the date of election by the Central government.”
The last election held in Secunderabad Cant board (SCB) was in 2015 when the TRS made strides in the state, and the ruling party bagged four out of eight seats. The SCB elections are the biggest of all Cant Boards in the country. The board has a population of 1.52 lakh.
