HC reserves order on petitions against panchayats’ merger into municipalities

HYDERABAD: A division bench of Telangana High Court on Monday reserved its orders in batch petitions filed challenging merger of various gram panchayats into municipalities in various districts of the State.

The bench comprising Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice A Rajasheker Reddy was dealing with petitions filed challenging Section 3(a) of the Telangana Municipal Act in merging gram panchayats into municipalities in the districts of Karimnagar, Khammam, Medak, Ranga Reddy, Nizamabad, Nalgonda, Mahabubnagar and so on. 

Senior counsels Vedula Venkataramana and Sarasani Satyam Reddy, appearing for the petitioners, contended that the State government was acting as per its whims and fancies in merging gram panchayats into municipalities which was nothing but depriving the rights of the poor villagers. 

After hearing both sides, the bench reserved its orders on the issue.