A division bench of the Telangana High Court has significantly narrowed the scope of a previous judicial order concerning the contentious delimitation of electoral wards within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). The bench, comprising Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya and Justice Gadi Praveen Kumar, delivered this ruling on Friday while hearing appeals filed by the state government.
Bench Curtails Single Judge's Directive
The appeals challenged an order passed by a single judge of the same court. The original order was issued in response to writ petitions that contested a state notification proposing to carve the GHMC area into 300 election wards. The single judge had directed the state government to place comprehensive ward-wise population data and maps for the entire municipal corporation in the public domain for scrutiny.
However, the division bench modified this directive, curtailing its extensive scope. The bench noted that the litigation originated from four separate writ petitions filed by residents from four different wards. Yet, only two appeals against the single judge's order were presently being considered by them.
Focus on Shah Ali Banda and Langar Houz Wards
Consequently, the bench confined its operative direction to only Ward Nos. 104 (Shah Ali Banda) and 134 (Langar Houz). It ordered the concerned authorities to publish the detailed population data and maps specifically for these two wards by 10 am on December 20.
Following this publication, the petitioners involved in the case have been granted a window of 48 hours to file any additional objections based on the newly released information. This move streamlines the process while addressing the immediate concerns raised in the appealed petitions.
Court Clarifies Stance on Case Merits
Importantly, the division bench made a clear clarification regarding its ruling. It stated explicitly that it was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the broader delimitation case. All substantive issues are left open to be decided by the single judge before whom the original petitions are still pending for final disposal.
This ruling represents a pivotal development in the ongoing legal tussle over the reorganization of Hyderabad's municipal wards. The delimitation process, including the merger of municipalities within the Outer Ring Road, has been a subject of significant public and political interest. The high court's latest order refines the procedural aspects, ensuring focused compliance while the core legal challenges continue to be heard.
