GHMC elections may be delayed

HYDERABAD: Due to logistic issues, if the notification for the GHMC elections is not issued within the next week, then the polls can be held only after a month.
The State Election Commission (SEC) is scheduled to issue the notification for conducting elections on July 24 with August 21 as the tentative date of polling. However, there is a possibility of the notification being delayed as a whole bunch of petitions are pending before the AP High Court which has challenged the reservation of the wards for various categories.
"All this may make it unlikely for the notification to be issued on July 24 or the next few days", an official said.The main hurdle for releasing the notification after July 27 is as per rules, polling should be conducted within 28 days of the notification.
And that is where the problem lies. Two major annual festivals, Ganesh Chaturthi and Ramzan, are to take place between August 22 and September 20 and no polls are possible during this period because people will not accept it and also because the police personnel will be deployed for festival duty and hence will not be available for election duty.
While the holy month of Ramzan for the Muslims is scheduled to start on August 22, Ganesh Chaturthi will begin on August 23. Since Hyderabad is a communally sensitive city, heavy bandobast will be made for the entire month of Ramzan and during the nine day Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
The timing of the notification is likely to figure in the meeting that the state election commission is holding with all political parties on July 21. Besides, the election commission will also hold another meeting with state government department's head on July 23 to discuss the conduct of the polls.
Sources said except for the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), all other parties are ready for election during the month of Ramzan. But it is highly unlikely that the SEC will overrule the objection of the MIM and hold the polls during Ramzan.