HYDERABAD: The Telangana high court on Friday directed chief secretary Somesh Kumar to be present in court on June 6 to explain reasons for not holding election to Bhadrachalam panchayat in the past four years and the delay of two years on the state’s part to file its counter.
The HC direction came after the state once again sought more time to convey its stand. A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili was hearing a PIL by Sonde Veeraiah, convenor of Gondwana Samkshema Parishad, challenging the state’s attempts to convert Bhadrachalam into a municipality on one hand and not conducting polls to the gram panchayat on the other.
“Polls have not been held in four years despite clear mandate from the Constitution that timely polls to local bodies, gram panchayats and municipalities, are a must. A special officer is looking after administration in this area for four years,” Vasudha Nagaraj, counsel for petitioner, said.
