HYDERABAD: In a U-turn, the state government has re-fixed the strength of elected ward members for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) at 150 as against the earlier proposed 200 wards.
The Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Department issued orders on Monday on refixing the wards at 150. On April 4, MAUD issued orders fixing the strength of elected ward members for GHMC at 200 wards.
(Express had recently reported that the government is likely to re-fix the strength of elected ward members.)
The orders were issued based on the letter written by GHMC Special Officer, Somesh Kumar on September 26 to the state government informing that increasing the number of GHMC to 200 has been found difficult for maintaining natural boundaries. Also the present staff strength of GHMC is also more amenable to 150 wards.
He urged the state government that the strength of the elected members for GHMC should be fixed at 150 as per the Andhra Pradesh Municipal Corporations (Fixation of strength of Elected Members) Rules, 2005 issued in GOMs 328, dated April 20.
The state government after examining the letter has decided to limit the number of wards to 150 as per rule 3 of the AP Municipal Corporations (Fixation of Strength of Elected Members) Rules, 2005. A notification will be published in the Extraordinary issue of the Telangana Gazette on September 30.