Telangana HC shows green signal to municipality elections in state

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has cleared the path for elections in urban local bodies in the state by vacating an earlier order staying polls in 69 municipalities. The court also disposed of 80 writ petitions that had opposed the elections on the ground that the delimitation of wards and voter lists were not prepared as per rules.

Justice A Rajashekar Reddy has allowed the petitioners to submit fresh objections, if they have any, to the civic chiefs within a week. The municipal commissioners will be given the next week to take action on the objections.

On completion of the 14-day exercise – of raising objections and officials' response – municipal commissioners will send proposals to the Director of Municipal Administration in Hyderabad for the release of the final notifications for holding elections.

During the hearing, Justice Reddy said that people were suffering due to the negligent and insensitive attitude of the officials, referring to the fracas over the civic polls.

The judge asked Additional Advocate General J Ramachandra Rao to visit some of the offices in his individual capacity, concealing his status, and try to get some work done. The AAG recalled his experience when he had sought permission from the grama panchayat in his native village for constructing a house. The AAG said he was made to wait for a long time and was given the clearance only after the fee was paid in cash.

The judge said if officials act properly, half of the litigation in courts would not arise at all.