Decks cleared for municipal polls in Telangana, notification issued

Earlier in the day, the HC had dismissed a PIL filed by Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy challenging the election notification issued on December 23, 2019, for conduct of elections to municipalities and municipal corporations in the State.

Hearing the petition, the bench Monday had asked the SEC to submit election manual, Telangana Municipal Act, rules and regulations and related material before it and not announce the poll notification till Tuesday evening.

Though the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is not due for polls, the state election commission has announced the election to Dabeerpura ward in GHMC which fell vacant after corporator Riyaz Ul Hasan Effendi was elevated as MLC. The election to the ward will be held on January 22, along with all other municipalities and municipal corporations

Announcing the election notification, the State Election Commissioner V Nagi Reddy gave poll notification for only nine municipal corporations — Ramagundam, Badangpet, Meerpet, Bandlaguda jagir, Boduppal, Peerzadiguda, Jawaharnagar, Nizampet and Nizamabad. The poll notification for Karimnagar Municipal Corporation has been withheld for the time being.

“Regarding Karimnagar, the honourable High Court has noticed certain discrepancies in the communities of voters. With rectification, we can go ahead with election there. We are trying to get clarification from municipal administration department, on what basis they have done the reservation,” said Reddy, adding that the court found SC/ST status different in draft and final electoral rolls.

“If they (Municipal Administration department) can do it today itself, we can issue the notification today itself,” he added.

On January 8, election notice will be issued by returning officer duly mentioning the reservation status of wards.

Nominations will be received by returning officers from 10.30 am to 5.00 pm between January 8 and January 10.

The returning officers will display ward wise electoral rolls of ULBs.

The date of scrutiny of nominations is January 11. Immediately after completion of scrutiny of nominations, names of valid nominated candidates will be published.

On January 12, appeal against rejection of nomination can be made before the district election authority or or additional district election authority or deputy district election authorities as authorised by district election authority concerned.

All appeals will be disposed of before 5 pm on January 13, Monday.

Up to 3.00 pm on January 14, candidates can withdraw their candidature. On the same day, post 3 pm, final list of the contesting candidates will be published.

The elections would be conducted on January 22, between 7.00 am and 5.00 pm.

January 24 is designated as date of re-poll, if any.

Counting of votes will start at 8.00 am on January 25. The results will be declared on the same day.