Telangana Gram Panchayat Elections: TSTCEA Urges Holiday on Dec 11, 14, 17

The Telangana State Teachers and Colleges Employees Association (TSTCEA) has appealed to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Telangana to declare public holidays in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts on December 11, 14, and 17, coinciding with the Gram Panchayat elections.

According to TSTCEA State President Aineni Santosh Kumar, several universities, including Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad (JNTUH) and Osmania University, have scheduled examinations on these dates, which would prevent thousands of students and employees from casting their votes.

The association argues that conducting exams on polling days contradicts the Election Commission's objective of ensuring maximum voter participation. Many students and employees hail from rural areas and are registered voters in their native villages, making it difficult for them to exercise their right to vote if exams are held.

The TSTCEA has requested that universities reschedule examinations and that the State Government declare public holidays in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy regions to facilitate voting. The presence of numerous higher education institutions in these districts makes the issue particularly pressing.

The Gram Panchayat elections are scheduled to be held in three phases on December 11, 14, and 17, with over 1.66 crore voters eligible to cast their ballots.

Also read: School Holiday Today, December 8: State-Wise List of Schools Closed and Open