HYDERABAD: With the Centre confirming that elections will not be held in the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB), residents are urging authorities to expedite the merger of civilian areas with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), at least before the municipal polls.
The eight SCB wards have had no elected representatives since 2020, when elections were deferred due to the ongoing excision process. The last elections were held in 2015. Currently, only a nominated board member and the local MLA represent the area. This vacuum in elected leadership has led to worsening civic issues such as poor water supply, clogged drains and stalled infrastructure projects.
Residents point out that while other Cantonments across the country have seen progress in merger-related development, Secunderabad lags behind.
“This board has been functioning without elected members for over four years. We are struggling to get basic civic issues resolved. There’s no one to represent us, and expecting a single nominated member to handle everything is unrealistic. The merger process must be completed before the GHMC elections so we can elect proper representatives,” said Nayeem, a resident.
The issue gained traction following a written response in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State (Defence) Sanjay Seth, who said elections to Cantonment Boards were not being conducted as the excision exercise could impact their governance structures.
“The Centre not holding elections is understandable, but the merger process is taking too long. It’s been over four years. The state and Union governments must act fast, at least before the GHMC elections next year. We need proper governance, infrastructure and clear building regulations. Residents here are struggling even to secure property ownership,” said S Ravindra, general secretary of Cantonment Vikas Manch.