Two full pages on the front of major daily newspapers either belong to national political parties or corporates making major announcements. However, in Hyderabad, that aggressive campaigning (not to mention expensive too) is also reserved by the Jubilee Hills Housing Society Elections. We repeat, housing society elections.
The campaigning, the template, the graphic elements
It's not just the platform for advertising or the scale that's comparable to state or national elections, but even the campaigning itself. "The linear progress with galloping pace in the purview of Jubilee Hills evidently proved how our leadership played a decisive and constructive role," goes one of the pointers in the advertisement, with the promise of development, vision, stability and transparency.
It adds, "The Society successfully prevented any sort of encroachment into members' properties by the third parties." It also throws a few words of caution against the opposition. "Beware of Goebbels Propaganda," the second page continues with a quote from Mark Twain also tossed in the template comprising several colours and fonts.
Perhaps, our national and opposition could learn a trick or two. "Should we vote for good people or good-for-nothing people?" questions the advertisement further questioning the credibility of the rivals. "Should we handover keys to thieves?"
What's at stake, who are the stakeholders?
The nomination process for the elections to the Jubilee Hills Cooperative House Building Society (JHCHBS) began on March 9. While the poll notification was issued on March 3, the election will be held on March 21.
It is one of Asia's biggest housing society and the nomination process began earlier in the month amidst allegations of irregularities. Spread over 1,195 acres in the Jubilee Hills area of Hyderabad, the housing society boasts of over 5000 members. The irregularities alleged included diversion of funds, conversion of open spaces into plots, regularisation of additional area, leasing of lands, etc.
The allegations and issues involved
While several committees have been formed to look into the allegations but the state government is yet to act on any of the reports submitted by such committees. The present managing committee is headed by T Narendra Chowdary. B Ravindranath, secretary of Jubilee Hills Welfare Society, alleged that several irregularities have taken place in the JHCHBS since 2005.
Telangana High Court on Jubilee Hills Housing Society
In January of this year, in a setback to the existing managing committee of Jubilee Hills Cooperative House Building Society, Telangana High Court set aside the list of members prepared by the managing committee with TN Chowdary as its president. The HC asked for a fresh list to be prepared and the list of eligible voters be published. While on Friday, March 13, the Telangana High Court upheld that the sitting members of society's executive committee can contest the election for two executive terms.
IBTimes has reached out to the Team Jubilee Hills on the details of the campaign and the irregularities alleged. This copy will be updated, as soon as there is a revert.
