Hyderabad: High Court questions govt over delay in holding polls to ULBs

Hyderabad: The High Court division bench comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy on Thursday heard a Public Interest Litigation filed by M Dharma Rao, a Hanamkonda resident, alleging that the action of the State government, State Election Commission and the Commissioner, MA&UD in not taking steps to hold elections to various municipalities and municipal corporations in the State.

The bench issued notices to the Telangana State government and the State Election Commission, Telangana directing them to file their counter affidavits, explaining the delay in completing the pre-election process for various municipalities and municipal corporations in the State viz., Nakrekal, Jadcherla, Kothur, Achampet, Siddipet municipalities and the Warangal and Khammam municipal corporations.

Advocate General Banda Shivananda Prasad informed the bench that the delimitation process and other works pertaining to the eight municipalities etc., has commenced, and sought time to get clear instructions from the authorities concerned.

Petitioner's counsel Naresh Reddy informed the court that the term of the Urban Local Bodies cited will expire within two months and as per rules in vogue, the pre-election process should commence well in advance. The Urban Local Bodies are now without a representative due to which people are facing problems.

Chief Justice Hima Kohli, after hearing the contents of the petitioner's counsel, questioned Advocate General as to why steps were not yet taken to hold elections to ULBs cited when the term was going to expire shortly. The court directed the State government to file counter replies within two weeks.