Hyderabad: Cantt residents submit petition for holding elections

Hyderabad: With decreasing hopes in regards to the merger between the civilian areas of Secunderabad Cantonment and the GHMC, a few residents submitted a representation on Monday urging senior officials of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board to conduct cantonment board elections.

Residents insisted that the elections, which have not been conducted since January 11, 2015, have deprived residents of their democratic right to choose their representatives. They pointed out that there is still a lack of clarity regarding when the merger procedure will begin in Secunderabad, whereas in other Cantonments across India the merger is progressing quickly.

Highlighting the issue, Telukunta Satish Gupta, a resident of Cantonment, emphasised that as a democratic nation, India is bound by its Constitution to conduct elections every five years. The continued delay not only violates constitutional provisions but also hampers the overall development of the region.

“In a democratic country, denying elections for such a prolonged period undermines our fundamental rights.

How can development progress when there is no representation for the people? We urge the Central government to uphold the Constitution and ensure elections are conducted without further delay,” he added.

Few residents demanded the Central government take immediate steps to schedule and conduct the Secunderabad Cantonment Board elections, enabling residents to exercise their democratic rights and address pressing development needs.