Sat Sep 27 01:20:00 UTC 2025: **Local Body Elections in Telangana Imminent as Government Greenlights BC Reservations**
Hyderabad: Telangana is gearing up for local body elections as the state government has paved the way by issuing a Government Order (GO) for the implementation of 42% reservations for Backward Classes (BCs). The State Election Commission (SEC) held a crucial meeting with top officials from various departments today, signaling the potential release of the election schedule at any moment.
Sources suggest that the SEC is likely to release the schedule before the official notification. Elections for Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs) are expected to be conducted first, followed by Gram Panchayat elections. The election code will come into effect across the state immediately after the schedule is announced.
According to current data, there are 12,777 Gram Panchayats, 5,982 MPTC seats, and 585 ZPTC seats awaiting elections in the state. The High Court has directed the state to complete the election process by September 30th, adding pressure on the government to expedite the process.
While the SEC is reportedly prepared to issue the notification and conduct elections within the High Court’s deadline, the government is also considering requesting an extension from the court to ensure a smooth and thorough election process.
The SEC is making elaborate arrangements for the local body elections, including training for staff and meticulous planning for election management. Reviews are being conducted with all district collectors to ensure preparedness. The preparatory meeting held today saw the participation of Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, the Director General of Police (DGP), district collectors, Superintendents of Police (SPs), and senior officials from the Panchayat Raj and other departments.
During the meeting, officials will provide details of voter lists, polling stations, ballot boxes, strong rooms, and election staff, categorized by wards, villages, MPTC, and ZPTC constituencies. The SEC will use this information to finalize the election schedule.
The terms of office for Sarpanches in the state’s Gram Panchayats ended on January 31st last year, and since then, special officers have been administering these bodies. The terms of MPTCs and ZPTCs also expired in June 2024. While elections were expected soon after, they were postponed due to the general elections and subsequently delayed due to the caste census.
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