Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday issued notices to senior government officials regarding three ordinances that have dramatically altered the municipal landscape of the Greater Hyderabad region.
What are the ordinances about?
These ordinances introduced amendments to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Act of 1955, fundamentally changing the territorial jurisdiction and governance framework of urban local bodies in the region.
The High Court Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice Ghouse Meera Mohiuddin directed the Principal Secretary to the Government for Legal Affairs, Legislative Affairs and Justice, along with the Principal Secretary for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, to file their responses within four weeks.
The court was hearing three writ petitions filed by Barigala Raju G, a resident of Thukkuguda in the Rangareddy District, who is seeking suspension of Telangana Ordinance Numbers 9, 10 and 11 dated December 1.
‘Unilateral merger has affected jurisdiction and governance’
Senior Counsel L Ravichander, appearing for the petitioner, informed the court that his client is a registered voter of Thukkuguda municipality, one of several urban local bodies that have been merged into the GHMC pursuant to the challenged ordinances.
The petitioner, who is an aspiring candidate for the forthcoming municipal elections, claims to be substantially and directly affected by the merger, which has altered the territorial jurisdiction, governance framework and civic administration of his municipality.
The crux of the legal challenge centres on alleged procedural irregularities in the promulgation of the ordinances.
No consultation, no publication of notification
Senior Counsel Ravichander argued that prior to the issuance of these ordinances, any alteration or expansion of the limits of the city would have been effected only through a notification-based process.
This established procedure required consultation with the corporation and previous publication to ensure transparency and allow stakeholders to voice their concerns.
The senior counsel contended that none of these safeguards were followed in the present case, thereby undermining democratic principles and procedural fairness.
The petitioner has requested the court to suspend the operation of all three ordinances until a full hearing can be conducted on the merits of the case.
What is GHMC being redrawn?
The State government had recently issued orders for the reorganisation of GHMC divisions, increasing their number from 150 to 300. A gazette notification announcing the new boundaries was published a few days ago.
Compared to the earlier GHMC structure, the number of divisions in the Old City areas has increased significantly, triggering objections and complaints from several quarters.
The sudden expansion of GHMC boundaries through executive action, without following the prescribed consultative process, has raised questions about the legality and constitutionality of the government’s approach to municipal reorganisation.
The matter has been adjourned for four weeks to allow the State government to file counter-affidavits responding to the allegations raised in the writ petitions.
