Telangana SEC Tightens Norms on Ex-Officio Members in Municipal Elections
In a significant development ahead of the indirect elections for municipal chairpersons and mayors, the Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) has implemented stricter regulations concerning ex-officio members. This move is poised to reshape the political landscape in numerous municipalities where recent polls resulted in fractured verdicts, with no single party securing a clear majority.
Impact on Hung Municipal Councils
Out of the 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations in Telangana, a total of 37 have produced hung councils following the latest elections. In these scenarios, every vote becomes critically important, as parties scramble to form alliances or leverage ex-officio support to gain control.
The SEC's late-night circular, issued on Friday, clarifies that only ex-officio members—such as Lok Sabha MPs and MLAs—whose constituencies fall entirely or partially within a municipal area are eligible to be co-opted for voting. Additionally, Rajya Sabha members and Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) can participate only if they are registered voters within the specific municipal limits.
Blow to Political Strategies
This clarification deals a particularly heavy blow to the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), which had intended to deploy its MLCs and Rajya Sabha MPs across various municipalities to bolster numbers and secure key positions like chairpersons and deputy chairpersons. The ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are also affected, especially in municipalities with fractured outcomes.
Telangana SEC secretary Lingya Naik emphasized that any nomination or vote cast by an ex-officio member who is not a registered voter within the municipal limits will be considered null and void. The indirect elections are scheduled for February 16 and will be supervised by district collectors or authorized officers.
Legal Basis and Historical Context
The SEC's decision is rooted in the proper implementation of Section 5(3)(c) and (d) of the Telangana Municipalities Act, 2019, read alongside Article 243-R of the Constitution. This aligns with a 2022 Telangana High Court judgment, which addressed the voting rights of ex-officio members. Notably, the BRS, which was in power at the time, did not challenge this verdict in the Supreme Court, a move that party sources now regret as it could have prevented the current setback.
Case Studies: Kagaznagar and Jangaon
In Kagaznagar municipality, the BRS won 11 wards compared to Congress's nine, BJP's five, and four independents. The party had relied on support from MLC Dasoju Sravan as an ex-officio member to bridge a five-vote gap. However, Sravan is disqualified because he is a registered voter in Greater Hyderabad, not within Kagaznagar's limits.
Similarly, in Jangaon, the SEC rejected the nomination of BRS MLC Pochampally Srinivas Reddy as an ex-officio member. Here, the BRS secured 13 wards against Congress's 12, with four independents holding the balance of power.
Broader Political Implications
The BRS, which has approximately 17 MLCs and four Rajya Sabha MPs, had planned to nominate several of them as ex-officio members in different municipalities to influence outcomes. With the new rules, the party cannot deploy many of its MLAs and Lok Sabha MPs in several municipalities, especially since its strength in the assembly has dwindled from 39 seats won in the 2023 elections to 27 MLAs due to defections and bypoll losses.
Most of these seats are within the limits of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation, and Cyberabad Municipal Corporation, where elections were not held. In contrast, the BRS secured an absolute majority in a few municipalities, such as Sircilla, the constituency of BRS working president KT Rama Rao.
BJP's Dilemma and Strategic Moves
The BJP faces a similar challenge, with party MLCs Anji Reddy and Malka Komaraiah unable to vote as ex-officio members in Karimnagar Municipal Corporation because they are registered voters within GHMC limits. The party needs five more votes to gain control and is banking on support from independents.
However, Karimnagar MP and Union minister Bandi Sanjay is eligible under the rules, potentially giving the BJP a numerical advantage if it secures backing from a few independents, according to political analysts.
Preparations for Indirect Elections
With the threat of defections looming, political parties are preparing to issue whips, directing their elected members to vote for official or supported candidates in the upcoming chairpersons' and vice-chairpersons' polls. This intensified focus on party discipline underscores the high stakes involved in these indirect elections.
The SEC's tightened norms have undoubtedly altered the fortunes of key political players in Telangana, setting the stage for a fiercely contested battle for control in the state's municipal bodies.
