Telangana Local Body Elections: HC Issue Notice To SEC And Panchayat Raj Department

The Telangana High Court has recently issued notice to the State Election Commission and the Panchayat Raj Department in response to a petition to hold local body elections in the state.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N.Tukaramji asked the Panchayat Raj Department to inform the court when elections to Telangana’s local bodies of Zilla Parishad, Mandal Parishad, and Gram Panchayat would be held.

Advocate Rapolu Bhaskar filed a PIL in February 2023, expressing concern about Telangana’s failure to hold local body elections.

According to the petition, the state has 6,023 vacant positions at various levels, including Surpanch, Deputy Surpanch, Ward Members, MPTCs, and ZPTCs. As a result, thousands of villages are deprived of welfare and development activities.

The petitioner also emphasized that, in accordance with the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, it is the duty of the Election Commission to hold elections to fill any open Surpanch, Deputy Surpanch, Ward Member, MPTC, and ZPTC positions.

Despite several vacancies occurring in the last three years, the Election Commission and concerned authorities have not started any process to conduct elections, according to the petition.

The petitioner asked the bench to direct the concerned authorities to conduct the local bodies elections in Telangana as currently 6,023 vacant posts are hampering public welfare activities.

The bench listed the matter for further hearing on April 27, 2023.