Justice A.V. Sesha Sai of the Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday took on record the statement made on behalf of the AP government that they are not proceeding further like holding elections etc., pursuant to the orders of government merging Bheemunipatnam municipality with Greater Vishakhapatnam Municipal corporation (GVMC) for at least two weeks.
The judge was dealing with a writ petition filed by Ramu Naidu of Bheemunipatnam. He challenged the action of the government in issuing final notification merging Bheemunipatnam with GVMC which is 35 km away.
He said when there was elected body the municipality rejected the proposal. Then a special officer was managing the affairs of the municipality and this proposal was accepted by him and the government issued the impugned GO.
He said fishermen villages between Bheemunipatnam and Vishakhapatnam are panchayats and there is no contiguity or continuity. Various grounds were raised by the petitioner and he brought to the notice of the court that recently the wards of GVMC are notified and at any time elections may be held and the case will become infructuous.
The judge asked the government why counter affidavit was not filed for the last one year.
The court was told that the fears expressed regarding elections are unfounded and no such thing is going to happen within two weeks and by then counter affidavit will be filed. The case will be listed after two weeks.