Do you intend to run municipalities with person-in-charges? HC asks Telangana

HYDERABAD: The Telangana high court on Tuesday sought to know from the state whether it is planning run the municipalities and municipal corporations through person- in-charges instead of holding elections. The bench of acting chief justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and justice Shameem Akther posed this question to the state while hearing a plea by Telangana State Backward Classes Welfare Association president Jajula Srinivas Goud who questioned the delay being caused by the authorities in conducting elections to the urban bodies whose term is coming to an end by July 2, 2019.
According to Dharmesh Jaiswal, the state and its election commission are under a constitutional obligation to complete the election process before July 2, so that the newly elected bodies will take over by July 3. By not ensuring this, the authorities are defeating the spirit of the constitutional amendment that was brought in for timely conduct of elections to local bodies.
The authorities have to earmark the required space for BCs and they have to complete the process of delimitation at the wards. Earlier the bench gave two weeks time to the state to complete the process.
Appearing for the petitioner, senior counsel KG Krishna Murthy argued that as per the Constitution of India the election has to be conducted before the expiry of the term of the present body which expires on July 2. For conducting elections, the state government has to delimit the wards, prepare and publish the electoral roll and further argued that the 2 weeks’ time given by the court expires on June 12.
In spite of the same, the state government is least bothered and violating the constitutional mandate, he said. Additional Advocate General J Ramchander Rao sought a week's time for filing their counter. He further stated that due to the introduction of new municipalities and merger of gram panchayats in existing municipalities they require time to prepare and publish the electoral rolls. It was at this stage, the bench inquired whether the state is thinking in terms of appointing person-in-charges. The electoral process will take at least 45 days from now, the bench said.
The state counsel said he would find out from the authorities and sought time to file counter. The bench posted the case to next week for hearing the version of the state.