HYDERABAD: The GHMC has received around 5,900 objections and suggestions on the proposed ward delimitation from political parties, elected representatives, citizens, residents welfare associations and other groups.
Meanwhile, the Telangana High Court on Wednesday extended the deadline for filing objections by two days and directed GHMC to place ward-wise maps and population details in the public domain within 24 hours, citing public demand for transparency.
GHMC issued a preliminary notification on December 9 for the delimitation of 300 election wards and set up reception centres at the circle, zonal and head offices from December 10. Day-wise submissions were: December 10 (40), December 11 (280), December 12 (373), December 13 (408), December 14 (227), December 15 (1,774), December 16 (1,475) and December 17 (1,283), taking the total to 5,860. A decision on the submissions is expected by the weekend.
Objections and suggestions from corporators were also recorded during the ninth special meeting of the GHMC council. Mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi asked GHMC Commissioner RV Karnan to examine all submissions and submit a report to the state government.
A five-member committee has been formed to scrutinise the objections and suggestions and is expected to complete the exercise by the end of the week.
The ward notification process must be completed by December 31 in view of the decadal Census scheduled for 2026–27, requiring GHMC to freeze ward boundaries and inform the Union government before the deadline.
Officials said about 30% of the objections relate to boundary mismatches and ward name changes, 15% seek additional wards or polling stations, and around 50% concern ward maps, splitting of wards or colonies, clarity on boundaries and objections. A technical committee has been set up to prepare division-wise maps.
‘RENAME WARD NO. 196’
Several residential welfare associations from Secunderabad Cantonment have urged GHMC to rename newly delimited Ward No. 196 as Marredpally division, saying the current name, Monda Market, is geographically misleading.
In objections, residents noted that the ward boundaries cover East and West Marredpally, Addagutta, the Secunderabad Railway Station area and RP Road–Clock Tower, and do not include Monda Market, making the division predominantly Marredpally-centric. S Ravinder, general secretary of Cantonment Vikas Manch, said renaming the ward would aid identification, civic engagement and future planning, especially when civilian areas of the SCB are merged with GHMC.