HYDERABAD: After a wait of more than two months, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has finally announced the schedule for conducting polls to the Standing Committee comprising 15 members.
The 150 corporators of the GHMC will be the electors. The polls, if necessary, will be held on March 7, 2024. With the GHMC issuing a notification on Thursday for elections to the highest authority in the corporation, the path is clear for the nomination process to begin on February 20.
Nominations will be received by the GHMC Additional Commissioner (Elections) at the GHMC head office from February 20 to 27 from 11 am to 3 pm. The list of the nominations received will be published on February 27. Scrutiny will take place on February 28 and the list of valid nominations will be published on February 28. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is March 2.
A list of contesting candidates will be published after 3 pm on March 2 and if necessary, voting will be held on March 7 from 10 am to 3 pm at the GHMC head office. Counting of votes will take place after 3 pm on March 7 and results will be declared the same day.
While the mayor is chairperson of the standing committee, 15 members would be elected from the 150 corporators. The standing committee plays an important role in making policy decisions and according to sanctions to works worth Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore. Any subject to be placed before the municipal council has to be cleared first by the standing committee. The elected standing committee’s tenure is for one year. In the past, TRS and MIM have shared seats respectively.
GHMC officials said if there are more than 15 contestants, voters (corporators) should have to indicate their priority for the candidates in the fray. If the corporators vote for more than 15, their vote will become invalid, the GHMC officials said.