Uncertainty over proposed Kothagudem Municipal Corporation’s jurisdiction

No clarity over the seven gram panchayats; Sujatha Nagar, Komatipalli, Nayakulagudem, Narasimhasagar, Mangapet, Nimmalagudem and Laxmidevipalli in Sujatha Nagar mandal that are part of the proposed municipal corporation

Kothagudem: Ambiguity surrounds the proposed Kothagudem Municipal Corporation with Telangana State Election Commission initiating the process for holding rural local body elections.
The State Election Commission on February 7 issued a circular directing the district officials to start the process of preparing electoral rolls as well as polling stations for MPTC/ZPTC elections. However, there is no clarity over the seven gram panchayats; Sujatha Nagar, Komatipalli, Nayakulagudem, Narasimhasagar, Mangapet, Nimmalagudem and Laxmidevipalli in Sujatha Nagar mandal that are part of the proposed municipal corporation.

It might be noted that the government proposed to establish the Kothagudem Municipal Corporation by merging Kothagudem and Paloncha Municipalities along with seven gram panchayats of Sujatha Nagar mandal. Kothagudem MLA K Sambasiva Rao told the same to the media.

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Zilla Parishad chief executive officer B Nagalaksmi stated that arrangements were being made for holding elections to 236 Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) and 22 Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs). Of the eight MPTCs in Sujatha Nagar mandal, four MPTCs- Komatipalli, Narasimhasagar, Nayakulagudem and Sujatha Nagar- fall under the proposed municipal corporation. With this, questions are being raised over the government’s proposal of merging the seven gram panchayats and the extent of Kothagudem Municipal Corporation.

When contacted Sujatha Nagar MPDO, B Bharathi told ‘Telangana Today’ that they had not received any information about the merger of the seven gram panchayats. As per official directions, arrangements are being made to set up polling stations in the seven gram panchayats for holding MPTC elections. The final publication of the list of polling stations is scheduled for February 15. Whether the officials would exclude the seven gram panchayats that are part of the municipal corporation or include them reducing the area of the corporation for conducting the elections would only be clear by then.

Meanwhile, this time, the MPTC elections would be held in the newly formed Bhadrachalam mandal and Sarapaka gram panchayat in Burgampad mandal as the Congress government shelved the previous BRS government’s proposal to upgrade Bhadrachalam and Sarapaka as municipalities.