HYDERABAD: State Election Commissioner V Nagi Reddy has directed District Collectors to make arrangements for the polls to 130 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across Telangana to be held on January 22, 2020. Nagi Reddy, along with DGP M Mahender Reddy, held a video conference on Friday with the Collectors, SPs, Municipal Commissioners to discuss poll preparedness and police bandobust. He instructed officials to start preparing draft photo electoral rolls for municipalities and municipal corporations duly indicating the ward and its display for inspection by the general public at designated places on December 30.
Disposal of objections by Commissioners of concerned municipalities and municipal Corporations should be completed on January 3. The final publication date of photo electoral rolls is January 4. Mahender Reddy said that all steps would be taken for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the ULB polls.The SEC will finalise the list of polling stations in municipalities and municipal corporations based on the final list of electors. The list of polling stations will be published on January 13.
The district collectors have been asked to obtain the list of polling stations from the respective municipal commissioners, scrutinise and approve them before their final publication. Further, the returning officers of the ULBs must physically inspect the buildings proposed as polling stations.
Municipal chiefs told not to issue ownership certificates
The Telangana Director of Municipal Administration (DMA) has taken a serious view of certain Municipal Commissioners, working in different Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the State, for issuing certificates which are not under their purview. It has come to the notice of the DMA department that many municipal commissioners, other than those under the GHMC jurisdiction, were issuing ownership certificates, valuation and such other certificates. This is against the provisions of the old Telangana Municipalities Act, 1965 and also the new Telangana Municipalities Act. The new Act came into effect from July 23, 2019.
DMA Director T K Sreedevi has issued instructions to the ULBs not to issue such certificates and warned of strict disciplinary action against concerned commissioners. The Regional Director-cum-Appellate Commissioner of Municipal Administration, Warangal and Hyderabad have been told to take action in the matter and review the same in monthly meetings.