The Telangana State Election Commission on Monday released the schedule for conduct of polls to 120 municipalities and 10 municipal corporations.
As per the schedule, the notification will be issued on January 7 and the polls will be held on January 22 while the counting will take place on January 25.
With the announcement of the schedule, the Model Code of Conduct will come into force with immediate effect, the State Election Commission said in a release.
While the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the municipal corporations of Khammam and Warangal are exempt, all other municipal corporations in the state will go to the polls.
The three municipalities were exempt, as their members were yet to complete their term. The term of all other elected members across the state ended in July this year, and the work is presently being overseen by special officers appointed by the state government.
The election schedule comes after much delay, as several petitions had been filed in court. The petitions, filed over a period of time against the state government, alleged flaws and dilution of the BC (Backward Class) reservation policy, among other issues. With the government deciding to cap reservation at 50% in the new Municipal Act, BC organisations had cried foul that the move will damage their erstwhile 33% quota that they had in united Andhra Pradesh.
Petitioners had also raised objections to the delimitation of wards, issue of photo identity cards, and other such issues.
The HC heard all the petitions and disposed of them, stating that it will not interfere with the election process, thereby clearing the path for conducting the municipal polls.
The state government had earlier said that it would finalise the reservation policy as soon as the EC releases the notification.