Hyderabad: Though the municipal election results was declared on Monday, the citizens of 10 municipal corporations and over 140 municipalities will continue to be ruled by bureaucrats i.e. special officers appointed by the government until the MLAs and MPs take their oaths. Even the elected body of corporators and councilors cannot assume office.
They can go to the municipal offices, but cannot participate in the decision making process for implementation of civic projects.This is because both MLAs and MPs have voting rights to elect mayors, deputy mayors in municipal corporations and chairpersons and their deputies in municipalities.
The State Election Commission is unlikely to hold “indirect elections” for the post of mayor and chairpersons until the MLAs and MPs take their oaths.
Highly placed sources said the SEC would wait for MPs and MLAs to be sworn-in and issue notification for the election of mayors and chairpersons only after they specify their option, i.e. choose the municipality of their choice. In addition to the MPs and MLAs, corporators and councillors, even Rajya Sabha members and MLCs have voting rights to elect mayors and chairpersons.
While the counting of votes for municipalities and municipal corporations was on May 12 and the results announced on the same day, the counting of votes for General and Assembly elections is on May 16.
However, there is uncertainty over swearing in of the new MPs and MLAs. Will it be after June 2, the Appointed Day when both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states come into being officially or earlier.
When contacted, State Election Commissioner Mr Ramakanth Reddy said, “Why should the MLAs be denied their right of participating and casting their votes to elect mayors and chairpersons?”
