Telangana municipal polls on Feb 11

Elections for seven Municipal Corporations and 116 municipalities in Telangana will be held on February 11, the State Election Commission announced on Tuesday.

State Election Commissioner I. Rani Kumudini released the schedule for municipal elections after a meeting with all district Collectors and Superintendents of Police.

As per the schedule, the election notice will be issued by the returning officer concerned on January 28. The same day, ward-wise electoral rolls of urban local bodies will be displayed.

January 30 is the last date for filing of nominations, while scrutiny of the nominations will be taken up the next day.

The State Election Commissioner said the list of validly nominated candidates will be published on January 31, while appeals against rejection of nominations can be filed on February 1. The appeals will be disposed of the next day.

She said February 3 will be the last date for withdrawal of candidatures. The same day, the final list of contesting candidates will be published.

Polling will be held on February 11. Re-polling, if any, will be conducted on February 12. Counting of votes will be taken up on February 13.

A total of 52.43 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in the municipal elections. They comprise 25.62 lakh males, 26.80 lakh females, and 640 others.

There are 2,996 wards in these 123 urban local bodies. The SEC will set up 8,203 polling stations and arrange 16,031 ballot boxes for polling.

The state poll body will also arrange 137 strong rooms and 136 counting centres.

Out of 2,996 wards, 864 have been reserved for women (unreserved). The number of unreserved wards in the general category is 647.

The government has reserved 463 seats for Backward Classes (general) and 391 for Backward Classes (women). Similarly, 254 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes (general) and 190 for the Scheduled Castes (women). For Scheduled Tribes (general), 147 wards have been reserved. Another 40 seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (women).

The elections for three other corporations, including the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), and five municipalities, will be held later.