HC refuses stay, Kothagudem Municipal Corporation elections on February 11

The Telangana High Court has refused to stay the election process for the newly formed Kothagudem Municipal Corporation, dismissing petitions challenging its constitution. While one petition was dismissed outright, another was given time for a counter affidavit, with hearings scheduled for February 12.

Kothagudem: Decks have been cleared for holding elections for the Kothagudem Municipal Corporation as the High Court refused to stay the election process after hearing different petitions concerning the matter on Tuesday.

Advocate and social worker J Shivaram Prasad in his public interest litigation (PIL)/60/2025 had asked the court to stay the ward division and other processes to conduct the elections for the newly formed corporation.

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He contended that constituting Kothagudem Municipal Corporation comprising Kothagudem Municipality, Paloncha Municipality, Paloncha samsthan villages and seven gram panchayats of the Sujatha Nagar mandal was unconstitutional and in violation of the Agency Laws.

Tribal activist Bhattu Krishna in his petition (PIL) 42/2024 had asked the court to declare GO Ms No 47 MA dated January 31, 1987 and GO Ms No 208 MA dated May 18, 2001 notifying Paloncha as a 2 tier and 3 tier Municipality as unconstitutional and to notify Paloncha as gram panchayat to conduct elections as soon as possible.

Similarly Lambadi Hakkula Porata Samithi Nangara Bheri state general secretary Bhukya Deva Naik in his (PIL) 57/2023 challenged the State government’s decision to declare Paloncha, a Scheduled Area, as a municipality in contravention to the Article 243 ZC(3) in Part IX-A of the Constitution and to conduct the local body elections.

Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin who heard the petitions dismissed the petition by Bhattu Krishna and with regard to the petition by Deva Naik, ten days was allowed to the government pleader to file a counter affidavit with the matter posted for further hearing on February 12.

In connection with the petition by Shivaram Prasad the court directed the additional Advocate General to explain as to whether the villages in question actually comprise the reconstituted municipal body and listed matter on February 12.

The court’s orders coincided with the notification of the election schedule by the State Election Commission on Tuesday to hold urban local body elections on February 11.