Congress fails to provide even statutory quota to BCs in Telangana’s gram panchayats

The Congress government in Telangana has come under fire for offering only 17 percent reservations to Backward Classes (BCs) in panchayat elections, despite promising 42 percent in its Kamareddy Declaration. A GO Ms 9 providing 42 percent quota was stayed by the High Court, citing the Supreme Court’s 50 percent cap on reservations.

Hyderabad: Leave aside the promise to provide 42 percent statutory reservations for BCs in the local body elections, the Congress government has drawn sharp criticism for offering only 17 percent reservations in the panchayat elections, a figure far below the 23 percent provided in 2019.

This time, despite repeatedly claiming to champion the cause of BC communities, the Congress has failed to ensure even half of what it promised. As part of the Kamareddy Declaration, the party had assured BCs that it would increase reservations from the existing 23 percent to 42 percent.

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A half-hearted attempt to implement this ran into legal hurdles after the High Court directed the State to conduct polls with the existing reservation pattern. However, even within that framework, the government faltered, as the finalised reservation pattern offered barely 17 percent to BCs.

In a bid to win the confidence of BCs, the State government had issued GO Ms 9 on September 26 this year, providing 42 percent reservations to BCs in local bodies. Following this, the State Election Commission (SEC) issued a notification on September 29 to conduct the panchayat elections. The move, however, hit a roadblock when petitions were filed in the High Court challenging the GO.

After multiple hearings, the High Court stayed the GO and directed the government to ensure total reservations did not breach the Supreme Court-mandated 50 percent limit, forcing the SEC to keep its notification in abeyance.

Subsequently, the Congress government, after a Cabinet meeting on November 17, announced party-based reservations for BCs. It later issued GO Ms 46 outlining the reservation guidelines and submitted revised allocations for sarpanches and ward members in panchayats to the SEC.

However, the revised pattern showed glaring disparities. Jogulamba Gadwal, with 255 gram panchayats, allotted 70 to BCs, amounting to 27.45 percent. Siddipet allocated 136 of its 508 panchayats to BCs, taking the share to 26.77 percent. But several districts displayed dismal figures. Not a single one of the 471 gram panchayats in Kothagudem was reserved for BCs. Adilabad, with 473 panchayats, allotted only 23 to BCs, amounting to just 4.86 percent.

Mahabubabad allotted only 19 of its 482 panchayats to BCs, or 3.94 percent. Mulugu reserved only 5 of its 146 panchayats, a mere 3.42 percent. Of the 12,735 panchayats across the State, only 2,176 were allotted to BCs, taking the reservation percentage just above 17 percent.

Condemning what they called the government’s indifferent attitude, BC organisations have begun staging protests across the State, demanding the immediate scrapping of GO Ms 46. Beyond BC groups, multiple sections criticised the Congress for its failure, calling the move deceptive.

“Congress caste census was fake. As the local body election schedule is released, it is to be noted that OBCs get only 17 percent and not the promised 42 percent,” BRS spokesperson Manne Krishank said on X.