HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to file a counter affidavit in the petition filed by Congress leader G Balraj Goud and another leader, seeking to suspend the membership of Kotha Harthika, the incumbent Chairperson of Adibatla municipality.
Justice P Keshava Rao passed this order in the petition filed by Balraj Goud and Marri Niranjan Reddy, alleging that the returning officer (RO) concerned had failed to act on their complaint seeking the disqualification of Harthika for switching loyalty from the Congress to TRS parties on the day of election to the chairperson and vice-chairperson posts of Adibatla said municipality.
‘Harthika voted for herself’
According to the petitioners’ counsel, eight candidates, including the petitioners, belonging to the Congress party won the municipal council election in Adibatla municipality on January 22 this year.
The Congress appointed Balraj Goud as the party whip for the elections to the chair and vice-chair posts of the municipality, which was held on January 27. The party had directed the elected members to cast their votes in favour of the petitioners contesting for the said posts.
Contrary to the direction of the party whip, Harthika voted for herself for the chairperson post, after acquiring the TRS party membership on the day of the election. Defecting the party for her own benefit is a violation of provisions of the Telangana Municipalities and Municipal Corporations (conduct of election to the chairperson and vice-chairperson posts of the municipal council and mayor and deputy mayor of municipal corporation) Rules, 2020, the petitioners said.
They further sought High Court directions to the returning officer to produce all the records pertaining to the said election proceedings before the court.
After hearing the case, the judge issued notice to the returning officer of Adibatla municipality and others concerned directing them to file a counter-affidavit on the issue. The court posted the matter to February 17 for further hearing.