The Telangana State Election Commission issued a circular clarifying which MPs, MLAs, MLCs and Rajya Sabha members can be co-opted as ex-officio voters for the Feb. 16 mayor and chairperson elections in hung municipalities and municipal corporations.

This sets a binding eligibility filter—only legislators registered as voters within the relevant municipal limits can be added—changing the usable vote count for parties trying to assemble a majority on Feb. 16. The clarification tightens the operational playbook for last-minute coalition-building by constraining which ex-officio members can be mobilized into the electoral college. It also increases the leverage of independents in bodies where ex-officio additions are limited, making deputy mayor/deputy chairperson offers a more decisive tool for securing control.