The New Indian Express ·
Andhra Pradesh HC rejects 53 pleas against delimitation of wards
VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday dismissed 53 petitions challenging the delimitation of wards in municipalities, municipal corporations and nagar panchayats, holding that reorganisation of wards would not alter the geographical boundaries of the respective urban local bodies.
Justice Nunepalli Harinath, who delivered the judgment, observed that a municipality or municipal corporation, and not an individual ward, should be treated as the administrative unit for issuing administrative orders and implementing civic functions.
The court noted that taxation, development works, infrastructure provision, sanitation, drinking water supply and maintenance of streetlights were carried out through municipalities and corporations. A ward did not have a separate administrative office or independent statutory powers and could not collect taxes or issue receipts in its own name.
The judge said all wards together constituted a municipality or corporation and, therefore, the urban local body alone qualified as the administrative unit for governance purposes.