Telangana government seeks 151 days to finish  pre-election works for urban local bodies

The SEC filed the petition challenging the inaction of the State in not confirming the delimitation of wards and in not notifying the reservation of seats to urban local bodies.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

HYDERABAD: Claiming that it is committed to conducting elections to municipalities and would start the process as early as possible, the Telangana government told the High Court that it requires 151 days to complete the pre-poll exercise for delimitation of wards in urban local bodies (ULBs), publication of ward-wise electoral rolls, identification of SC, ST, BC and women voters and reservation of wards. 

In this regard, the State government on Tuesday filed the counter affidavit in the petitions filed separately by the State Election Commission (SEC) and Telangana State Backward Classes Welfare Association seeking conduct of elections to municipalities and municipal corporations whose term expires on July 2.

The SEC filed the petition challenging the inaction of the State government in not confirming the delimitation of wards and in not notifying the reservation of seats to urban local bodies, while the association, represented by its State president Jajula Srinivas Goud, filed the case complaining that the authorities concerned have not taken steps to conduct elections to three municipal corporations and 53 municipalities whose term expires on July 2, by providing reservations to backward classes as per provisions of the Telangana Municipalities Act, 1965 and Telangana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994.

The government, represented by principal secretary to Municipal Administration and Urban Development Arvind Kumar, stated that the government has taken a policy decision for the constitution of new municipalities and inclusion of gram panchayats into existing urban local bodies which assumed urban characteristics to facilitate planned growth and development, including the delivery of urban civic services. 

The government through Act 4 of 2018 have constituted 68 new municipalities duly upgrading 173-gram panchayats and merging other 131-gram panchayats into adjoining 43 municipalities and municipal corporations.

There was a need to complete the statutory issues such as fixing of the strength of municipalities, finalisation of seats of municipalities, delimitation of wards, reservation of wards and so on. Once the pre-poll exercise was completed, the SEC in consultation with the government would proceed further for the purpose of conducting elections, it added.

Justice P Naveen Rao who was dealing with the above two petitions posted the matter to Wednesday for hearing.

‘Need to complete the pending works’

For the purpose of reservation of office of chairperson/mayor, survey of BC voters would be taken up in municipalities and also corporations which included GHMC, Greater Warangal, Khammam, Siddipet and Atchampet though their term expires in 2021.

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