Hyderabad: Telangana high court on Wednesday declined to stay the ongoing GHMC ward delimitation process, but issued directions to ensure transparency. Justice B Vijaysen Reddy on Wednesday directed authorities to place ward-wise population details and authenticated maps in the public domain within 24 hours. Once this information is public, petitioners and the general public may submit additional objections, the judge said.The petitioners had sought a three-day extension for filing objections as the original deadline fell on Wednesday. The judge granted two days, citing directions from the Commissioner of Census, Govt of India, requiring the state to complete the delimitation process by Dec 31, 2025.Acknowledging the constitutional bar against judicial interference in such processes, the court emphasised that hearing grievances must be an objective exercise rather than a mere formality. The judge also rejected the notion that the municipal corporation lacked necessary data during this massive expansion, asserting it is imperative to furnish specific geographic boundaries and population figures. The court reiterated the settled legal principle that precise statistics and authenticated maps must be provided to ensure a fair and transparent process for all stakeholders.Senior counsel L Ravichander for the petitioners argued that the current exercise was “humanly impossible” and conducted in a hurry without adhering to the principles of natural justice. He contended that the seven-day window for filing objections by the public, and disposing of objections by the authorities was not possible. Counsel G Prabhakar argued that ward members from the 27 soon-to-be merged municipalities and corporations also have an equal stake in the delimitation and their rights should also be protected during the process.Advocate general A Sudarshan Reddy informed the court that the notification followed legal procedures and that necessary materials were already available. He noted that 3,100 objections have already been received and were being processed. Emphasising the constitutional bar, the AG urged the court to dismiss the petitions as premature, highlighting that the merger process began in May 2025 and must conclude by the year-end deadline.
