HC nod for municipal polls

Hyderabad: A day after the byelections in Huzurnagar, the Telangana government is getting ready to hold municipal elections. The High Court of Telangana on Tuesday gave its nod for holding the elections.

A two-member bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A Abhishek Reddy struck down all the petitions filed against the conduct of elections.

The bench also rejected two writ petitions questioning the ongoing process.

Two public interest litigations were filed; one by K Anju Kumar Reddy from Nirmal and another by Dr S Malla Reddy from Medchal in Malkajgiri district.

The petitioners sought stay on notification for municipal elections stating that the entire pre-poll process has been carried out by the state government by violating all rules promulgated in the Municipalities Act.

Declining to intervene, the court said the SEC will take steps on division of wards, reservations and other issues to hold the polls.

In a connected writ petition on the question of identification of SC, ST, BC and women voters and preparation of voters' lists, the bench refused to interfere.

It reasoned that the allegations were not made any cogent evidence. It also pointed out that persons affected were not before the court.

The court also declined to comment on the electoral roll prepared based on the Assembly elections rolls. The SEC is making arrangements to conduct elections to 121 municipalities and 10 municipal corporations.

The elections were supposed to be held in June. Due to legal problems, the commission postponed the elections indefinitely until the court directions.

The State has a total of 13 municipal corporations and 128 municipalities excluding the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).