Hyderabad:25 December Posted on 4:34 PM IST
The Telangana government has temporarily put on hold the final notification for the delimitation of wards in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), following a surge of objections from the public and elected representatives.
The state had earlier proposed a large-scale reorganization of GHMC by merging 20 municipalities and seven municipal corporations into the civic body and increasing the number of wards to 300. A preliminary notification regarding the delimitation process was issued on the 9th of the month, and objections were invited until the 22nd in compliance with High Court directions.
Officials confirmed that nearly 6,000 objections and complaints were received during this period. While authorities stated that all eligible and reasonable objections were examined, the volume and intensity of criticism raised concerns about the fairness and transparency of the process.
Just as the government was preparing to issue the final notification, reliable sources indicate that senior-level instructions led to the process being paused. The decision appears to have been influenced by fears that rushing the notification could invite allegations of arbitrariness and further legal challenges.
Meanwhile, the Telangana High Court has directed the state government to explain the rationale behind the merger of surrounding municipalities into GHMC. The court has asked the Law and Municipal Administration departments to file a counter affidavit within four weeks and adjourned the matter to the 28th of next month.
Ruling Party Dissatisfaction over wards splits
Political dissatisfaction has also played a role, with even ruling party representatives reportedly expressing concerns over ward boundaries, naming, and jurisdictional changes. Considering that the current GHMC governing body’s term runs until February 10, the government has opted for a cautious approach.
Officials have clarified that the delimitation exercise has not been scrapped but deferred, and a final decision will be taken only after comprehensive review and legal clarity. According to sources, the government had previously decided to rename more than 30 wards based on submitted objections. However, the primary concern remains the ward boundaries, which public representatives are demanding be redrawn.
With the Winter Session of the Assembly set to begin on December 29, CM Revanth Reddy and the Congress leadership have decided to seek further input on delimitation. Notably, some Congress leaders have suggested splitting the city limits into three separate corporations.
Mohammed Naseer Giyas is a multi-media and bilingual journalist with over 20 years of experience across print, digital, and television media. Founder of Raftaar-e-Deccan, he is an alumnus of IVLP, Thomson Reuters Foundation, and ICFJ, and has worked with leading English and Urdu news organisations.
