Ward Delimitation Triggers Political Row in GHMC Merger Plan, special council meeting today

• ORR municipalities merger leads to GHMC ward delimitation
• BRS and BJP allege unscientific ward division process

Ward delimitation | Hyderabad, Dec. 16: The Telangana government’s decision to merge 27 municipalities within the Outer Ring Road ORR limits into the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has triggered a fresh political debate.

Following this decision, the government issued a preliminary ward delimitation notification on December 9, proposing to double the number of wards in GHMC.

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Officials stated that the ward boundaries were determined based on population data.

As part of the ward delimitation process, the government invited objections and suggestions until December 17.

Meanwhile, more than 1,300 objections have already been received. These objections reflect growing concerns from political parties and stakeholders over the manner in which the ward delimitation was carried out.

The issue has now gained prominence as opposition parties questioned both the process and intent behind the exercise.

Leaders from the BRS and BJP have strongly criticised the ward delimitation, alleging that the process was unscientific and one sided.

They accused the authorities of dividing wards without consulting the public or elected representatives. According to them, officials finalised the ward boundaries while sitting in the Secretariat, without field level discussions.

They also alleged that key factors such as population imbalance, geographical convenience, and natural boundaries were ignored during the exercise.

Meanwhile, the opposition leaders expressed anger that the ward delimitation process lacked transparency and public participation.

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They argued that ignoring local realities could create administrative difficulties and confusion in the future. Therefore, they demanded that the government revisit the entire exercise and take all parties into confidence before proceeding further.

Ward Delimitation | Special council meeting today

In this context, the Mayor has called a special council meeting under her chairmanship today. The meeting aims to gather the opinions of all political parties on the ward delimitation issue.

Sources indicated that the special council meeting is expected to see intense discussions, as the issue involves the expansion of GHMC and the political balance within the civic body.

The ward delimitation exercise assumes importance as it follows the merger of the 27 municipalities into GHMC. The government maintains that the exercise is based on population norms.

However, the mounting objections and political criticism suggest that the issue may require wider consultations.

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Therefore, today’s special council meeting is seen as a crucial step in addressing concerns and shaping the future course of the ward delimitation process.

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