more-in The three assembly constituencies in the erstwhile Khammam district - Bhadrachalam, Ashwaraopet and Pinapaka - from which seven mandals under submergence of Polavaram project were merged with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, are likely to go for elections with truncated number of electors. The three constituencies, all reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (STs), have reported dip in the number of electors after the merger of seven mandals to AP. Bhadrachalam had 2.16 lakh electors, Ashwaraopet (1.67 lakh) and Pinapaka (1.71 lakh) as per 2014 electoral rolls. Following a communication addressed by the Union Ministry, the Andhra Pradesh government had clarified that the villages transferred from Telangana had been included in Rampachodavaram and Polavaram Assembly constituencies reserved for STs under its jurisdiction. The data relating to the exact number of voters in these constituencies after removal of some mandals/villages under their respective jurisdiction it yet to be finalised by the State in spite of reminders from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Union Ministry sought clarifications after the Election Commission, dealing with the request for delimitation of the constituencies in the two successor States, referred the matter to it. While the State government is claiming that it is for the election authorities to finalise the exact number of electors as delimitation of the constituencies is Central subject, the election authority, Chief Electoral Office, asserted that it is for the State to notify the caste- related census of the three constituencies. “We will communicate the number of electors in the respective constituencies as per the summary revision of electoral rolls. It is for the State to finalise the caste composition of the respective constituencies,” a senior official of the CEO’s office said. Post transfer The discrepancy arose as the area under Kukunoor, Velairpadu and Burgampahad mandals with exception of some villages under Palvancha revenue division and Chintoor, Kunavaram, Vararamachandrapuram and Bhadrachalam mandals under the Bhadrachalam revenue division were transferred to AP. The case of Bhadrachalam Assembly constituency in particular is interesting in that the entire Bhadrachalam mandal except for Bhadrachalam revenue village had been transferred to the neighbouring State. “The constituency continues to remain with four mandals including Wazed, Cherla, Dummugudem and Venkatapuram along with the revenue village and this will be the jurisdiction of the constituency,” the official said.

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