SEC defers indirect elections to 11 ULBs

Hyderabad: The State Election Commission has postponed indirect elections in eleven municipalities across Telangana citing reasons such as lack of quorum and protests by political activists. The urban local bodies where elections were deferred include Yellandu, Sultanabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Kagaznagar, Kyaatanapally, Khanapur, Zaheerabad, Inderesham, Dornakal, Jangaon, and Thorrur. Earlier in the day, significant tension prevailed at Thorrur municipality when BRS leader Erabelli Dayakar Rao entered the council hall with his councillors. Simultaneously, Congress MLA Yashaswini Reddy arrived with her supporters.

The BRS leaders objected to the ex officio vote registered by Kadiyam Kavya, alleging she had already registered her vote in Greater Warangal and her participation here was invalid. This confrontation led to a tense situation outside the hall, forcing police to resort to a lathi charge.

A similar situation occurred at Kyaatanapally in Mancherial where BRS leader Balka Suman entered the hall with newly elected members. BRS leaders alleged that Minister Vivek Venkataswamy was attempting to reverse the public mandate.

Authorities postponed the election there as members failed to report on time. In Jangaon, BRS leaders protested against alleged police highhandedness after officers reportedly denied entry to a councillor based on kidnapping reports. Although the councillor clarified she was free, the police insisted she visit the station first. Meanwhile, elections in Sultanabad and Yellandu were postponed simply due to a lack of quorum.