HYDERABAD: BJP councillors moved the Telangana High Court challenging the decision of the election officer of Tukkuguda municipality in allowing Rajya Sabha member K Keshava Rao to cast his vote as an ex-officio member for the election of chairperson and vice-chairperson of the municipal council recently. They urged the Court to set aside the vote cast by the TRS MP.
Petitioners Rajumoni Raju and eight other BJP councillors, in their writ petition, submitted that out of a total 15 seats in Tukkuguda municipality in Rangareddy district, the TRS has won five seats, while the BJP had won nine and the remaining one was bagged by an independent in the election held on Jan 22.
The State Election Commission issued notification for filling the posts of chairperson and vice-chairperson of the municipal council concerned on Jan 27. Though they were confident of winning these posts, but much to their surprise, election officer Rajeshwar Reddy allowed Keshava Rao to cast his vote on behalf of TRS, as ex-officio member though he is a member from AP. As per Section 13 of thefirst schedule of AP Reorganization Act, 2014, Keshava Rao was declared elected member of Parliament from AP in the draw of lots held on May 30, 2014.
The action of the election officer is in gross violation of Section 5 of Telangana Municipalities Act, 2019. Without heeding to the objections raised by them, the election officer has conducted the election in an unfair manner and declared the ruling party members as chairperson and vice-chairperson for the municipality, they pointed out.
The petitioners urged the court to pass orders restraining the present chairperson Madhu Mohan and vice-chairperson B Venkat Reddy from exercising their powers pursuant to their election. Besides Keshava Rao, secretary to municipal administration, state election commissioner, district collector, election officer were named as respondents.