KCR wants municipal polls by end of July

Hyderabad: Though the state government secured 149 days from the High Court to complete the pre-process of conducting the municipal polls, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has asked officials to complete the exercise within three weeks so that elections can be held in August this year.

In view of the directions from the Chief Minister, the government has issued the Telangana Municipal Laws (Amendment) Ordin-ance, 2019, which has paved the way for increasing the number of wards and divisions in 138 out of 142 municipalities and municipal corporations.

In the recent party executive committee meeting, Mr Rao asked ministers, MLAs and leaders to prepare to face the polls for civic bodies. TRS sources disclosed that though some MLAs spoke against going for municipal polls , the Chief Minister categorically told them that municipal polls will be held as per schedule as the term of elected bodies will end on July 2.

According to the ordinance, there was an overall increase of 754 wards in the 138 urban local bodies and the number of existing 2,631 wards in 138 municipalities and corporations would be increased to 3,385 as per the 2011 Census. The ordinance did not include the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation where elections are due only in 2021 and has included 68 newly formed municipalities.

According to officials of the municipal administration department, wards and divisions were notified, ensuring that the difference in the population should not be more than 10 per cent according to the 2011 Census.

In view of the merger of some villages into certain municipalities and corporations the numbers of wards and division have been increased, officials added. The ordinance disclosed that wards in the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation will go up from 58 to 66 and 10 each, up from 50 to 60 in Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Khammam municipal corporations. The increase is 16 wards in Kamareddy, 13 in Zaheerabad, 12 in Miryalguda and 10 each in Jammikunta, Huzurabad and Jagtial municipalities.

The authorities pointed out that the reservations of wards is likely to be notified in another 10 days.