GO on GHMC rules stayed

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday expressed its inclination to grant an interim order against the TS government's recent amendment making all elected and nominated MLCs as ex-officio members of the GHMC.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip B Bhosale and Justice A.V. Sesha Sai was dealing with a PIL by Dr Dasoju Sravan Kumar, chief spokesperson of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee, challenging the recent amendment to the GHMC Act which incorporated a provision allowing MLCs to enrol as registered voters in the GHMC area anytime to become ex-officio members of the GHMC.

Mr Raghunandan, senior counsel appearing for the petitioners, told the court the government had amended the Act by way of an executive order, which was impermissible under law.

He said that by virtue of this amendment, MLCs already registered as voters in a municipality or municipal corporation could enrol as fresh voters in any other urban civic body at will to become ex-officio members and create a rightful majority, which would be detrimental to democratic processes and encourage horsetrading.

He said as the GHMC Act is applicable to all municipal corporations in the state, the provision could be utilised in any urban civic body.

Expressing wonder at the decision of the government, the bench said, “It is very difficult for this court to digest the act of the government and the bench is inclined to grant interim stay by suspending operation of the GO.”

At this stage, TS A-G K. Ramakrishna Reddy sought adjournment of the hearing to allow him get instructions from the government. The bench posted the case to Thursday.