When Will Local Body Elections Be Conducted, Telangana High Court Asks Panchayat Raj Department

The Telangana High Court has issued notice to the State Election Commission and Panchayat Raj Department on a PIL to conduct local body elections in the state.

The bench of Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N.Tukaramji asked the Panchayat Raj Department to apprise the court as to when elections to the local bodies of Zilla Parishad, Mandal Parishad and Gram Panchayat in the State of Telangana would be conducted.

Background of the case

In February 2023, Advocate Rapolu Bhaskar filed a PIL expressing concerns over the failure to conduct local body elections in Telangana.

The petition states that 6,023 posts are vacant at different levels, including Surpanch, Deputy Surpanch, Ward Members, MPTCs, and ZPTCs in the state. As a result, thousands of villages are deprived of welfare activities and development, Bhaskar said.

The petitioner also highlighted that, as per the provisions of the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, it is the duty of the Election Commission to conduct elections to fill any vacant Surpanch, Deputy Surpanch, Ward Member, MPTC, and ZPTC positions. However, despite several vacancies occurring in the last three years, the Election Commission and concerned authorities have not initiated any process to conduct the elections, the plea said.

The petitioner prayed the High Court to direct the concerned authorities to conduct the local bodies elections in Telangana as currently 6,023 vacant posts are hampering public welfare activities.

The matter will now be taken up on April 27.

Case Title- Rapolu Bhaskar v. Chief Election Officer and others.

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