Telangana HC refuses to suspend ordinance for merging Ghansimiaguda GP with Shamshabad Municipality

Hyderabad: Telangana High Court has declined to suspend the ordinance about merging Gram Panchayat with Municipality.

A division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Sreenivas Rao issued notices to the Principal Secretaries, GAD, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department; Secretary, Law Department; District Collector, Rangareddy;, Municipal Commissioner, Shamshabad, RR District and the Panchayat Secretary, Ghansimiaguda Gram Panchayat. The court directed them to respond within 2 weeks.

The court was adjudicating the writ petition seeking suspension of ordinance No. 3/24 The court observed that merging the Gram Panchayat into Municipality will give scope for more developmental activities in the area and enhance civic amenities thereby changing the lifestyle of the people residing there.

The court said this petition is filed for personal interests, rather than public interest.

The petitioner said the decision would increase taxes/fees for buildings, which would be a burden on the common man of the gram panchayat.

Sarasani Satyam Reddy, senior counsel appearing for the petitioner, informed the court that the decision of the state government to merge the Ghansimiaguda Gram Panchayat with the Shamshabad Municipality was made without the consent of the villagers.

He said the village has a population of 2500 and is outside the ORR. He said it is located at a distance of 7 km from Shamshabad Municipality. Besides, there are no industries established in this village and no commercial activity.

The matter has been adjourned till September 25.