GHMC ward delimitation gazette ‘unconstitutional’, must be withdrawn: BRS MLC Sravan

LatestPoliticsTelangana
By HNH Web Desk
GHMC ward delimitation gazette

Hyderabad: BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan on Tuesday demanded the withdrawal of the GHMC ward delimitation gazette notification issued on December 9. He described it as unconstitutional and in violation of both the GHMC Act and the 74th Constitutional Amendment.

Lack of consultation undermines democratic norms

Speaking at a special GHMC meeting, Sravan accused the Congress government of excluding elected representatives, corporators, and key stakeholders from the delimitation process. He argued that this approach violates the spirit of the 74th Amendment, which aims to empower local bodies through participatory governance.

He strongly criticised the decision to base the delimitation on inputs from the Centre for Good Governance (CGG). According to Sravan, CGG is merely an advisory agency and lacks any constitutional authority to carry out such tasks. Assigning this role to a non-statutory body, he said, damages the legal foundation of the process.

Ward population limits exceeded, says Sravan

Sravan pointed to GHMC’s estimated population of 1.34 crore, noting that dividing the city into 300 wards requires an average of 44,667 people per ward. However, he claimed that many wards exceed the 10% variation permitted under Rule No. 5, which makes the process legally flawed.

He further criticised the absence of transparency in how population and geographical data were used for the delimitation. Public access to such data, he said, is critical when decisions affect urban governance and citizen representation.

Calls for independent commission and wider consultations

Warning that arbitrary ward restructuring could destabilise Hyderabad’s social fabric, Sravan urged the government to act responsibly. He also questioned the timing and haste behind the issuance of the Ordinance and subsequent gazette notification.

Sravan outlined three key demands:

  • Immediate withdrawal of the GHMC ward delimitation gazette
  • Creation of an independent, constitutionally empowered delimitation commission
  • Broad-based consultations with citizens and public representatives

He concluded by stressing that decisions affecting democratic institutions must comply with constitutional norms to ensure fair and lasting governance.

 

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