KADAPA: Kadapa district authorities have re-divided wards within Rajampet municipality following orders of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
Elections for municipalities in the state, which concluded recently, could not be held in Rajampet as there was a stay issued by the High Court. The court stay followed a petition that enhancement of the number of wards from 20 to 29 had not been done properly. The High Court has since ordered that the wards be divided in a proper manner.
Rajampet is the only municipality in Kadapa district, which has not had elections since last two times. The town, a major panchayat, had been upgraded into nagar panchayat in 2005. That was the only time elections were held for the municipality.
Later, in 2019, the nagar panchayat was upgraded into a Grade-2 municipality by merging five panchayats into the civic body. Since then, elections have not been held for Rajampet municipality as some people petitioned the court contending that the merger of panchayats into the civic body was arbitrary.
Elections for five panchayats that were proposed to be merged with Rajampet municipality too were held in the recently concluded GP elections. Rajampet civic body did not witness any elections during the recently concluded civic polls too, as the case has remained pending in the court.
However, Andhra Pradesh High Court has ruled that division of wards be undertaken again. Accordingly, district authorities have modified enhancement of wards from 20 to 29.
As per the 2011 Census the population of Rajampet civic body is about 55,000.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, in-charge Rajampet municipal commissioner P. Sesha Phani said the process of division of wards has already been completed with necessary modifications.
The file has been sent for approval by the district collector. Presently, the file is with regional director of the Municipal Department. Later, following approval of district collector Chevuru Harikiran, the modified plan of dividing municipal wards will be sent to the Election Commission.
“SEC will then take necessary action to conduct elections in Rajampet,” he said.
