Chairperson elections postponed in 11 Telangana municipalities

Election of Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons was postponed in 11 municipalities across Telangana due to varied local circumstances. Tense scenes were reported in some urban local bodies, including Thorrur, where political leaders and workers were involved in heated arguments

Hyderabad: Election of Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons has been postponed in 11 municipalities across Telangana amid varied local circumstances.

The municipalities where the special meetings could not be held are Yellandu, Sultanabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Kagaznagar, Khyatanpally, Khanapur, Zaheerabad, Indresham, Dornakal, Jangaon and Thorrur.

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According to officials, while the State Election Commission (SEC) did not cite specific reasons for the postponement, there is scope to conduct the special meetings on Tuesday.

As per a circular issued by the SEC, special meetings to elect Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons were scheduled at 12.30 pm across 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations in the State. However, proceedings in the 11 municipalities were deferred.

An SEC official said the reasons could vary from lack of quorum and law and order concerns to other administrative factors. Local authorities are empowered to decide on conducting the meeting within the stipulated timeframe.

“In case the local officials fail to conduct the special meeting tomorrow, they will have to seek permission from the State Election Commission to convene it at a later date,” the official said.

Tense scenes were reported in several urban local bodies (ULBs) during the Chairperson and Mayor elections, with protests by councillors and corporators over party decisions and allegations of lack of transparency.

At Thorrur municipality, a tense situation prevailed after former Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao was reportedly denied entry into the municipal premises.

According to reports, BRS and Congress workers argued over permission granted to Jhansi Reddy to enter the council hall. Rao is said to have questioned officials over the decision and stated that he needed to serve a party whip to councillors and submit related documents to the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO). Police personnel and Congress workers allegedly prevented him from entering the premises.

Further details are awaited.