"gram-panchayat-elections"

A total of 2,862 nominations were filed for 494 gram panchayats in the erstwhile Adilabad district for the third phase of rural local body polls. Another 8,858 nominations were submitted for 4,152 wards. Withdrawals are allowed until December 9; polling is on December 17.

In the first phase of gram panchayat elections, 19 sarpanch candidates and 220 ward members were elected unanimously in Khammam, while Kothagudem saw 14 sarpanch and 336 ward members win without contest. The remaining posts will go to polls on December 11.

A barber from Ragothampally village in Dubbak mandal has promised free haircut and shaving services to all male voters for five years if his wife wins the ward election. Srikanth made the pledge through a social media video that went viral locally.

Erstwhile Adilabad recorded 2,730 nominations for 514 gram panchayats in the second phase of polls. Districts including Adilabad, Mancherial, Nirmal and Kumram Bheem Asifabad saw large filings. Polling is on December 14 and counting will be held the same day

Shadnagar Police conducted a Flag March in four villages of Farooqnagar Mandal ahead of Gram Panchayat elections to ensure peaceful polling. Officers engaged with residents, reviewed critical locations, and encouraged reporting of suspicious activity, demonstrating election-focused preparedness.

The Backward Classes Commission has identified factual mistakes in GOMs 46 related to Gram Panchayat reservations and urged the Telangana government to defer elections. The commission also highlighted a decrease in BC reservation from 22.78% to 21.39%, despite population growth.

In Mancherial, gram panchayat election contestants have begun wooing voters with gifts even before formal campaigning. With police tightening checks on cash movement, candidates are distributing fridges, grinders and other appliances to families with multiple votes, spending up to Rs 2,000 per vote.

Rural politics in Telangana has taken a tense turn as gram panchayat elections approach. Many local leaders are reluctant to contest due to two years of unpaid bills for development works, leaving former sarpanches in debt. The Congress government owes Rs 1,083 crore in pending bills, with only a fraction released despite promises.

Community organisations in Hyderabad staged a protest at Dharna Chowk demanding the Congress government legally extend 42 percent reservations to Backward Classes (BCs) and present the Bill in Parliament. Former Minister V Srinivas Goud accused the Congress of deceiving the BC community despite promises in its manifesto and assurances from Rahul Gandhi.

A police Sub-Inspector from Kodad has resigned from service to contest the upcoming gram panchayat elections as sarpanch of his native Gudibanda village in Suryapet district. He emphasised his commitment to village development and prioritising service to his birthplace.

The Backward Classes Students’ Joint Action Committee staged a protest in Nalgonda demanding the resignation of BC legislators for failing to secure adequate reservation benefits. The agitation is expected to intensify regardless of the election schedule.

The second day of nominations for gram panchayats and wards in Telangana witnessed a significant turnout, with 4,901 nominations for panchayats and 9,643 for wards. The deadline for filing nominations is Saturday, while withdrawals are allowed until December 3.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s district tour from December 1, coinciding with the Gram Panchayat poll nominations, has stirred political debate. As he addresses public meetings and launches development works, Congress leaders insist the tour is unrelated to elections and confined to urban limits

The Telangana Backward Classes Commission has objected to the reduction of BC reservations in Gram Panchayat elections, urging the State government to keep the polls in abeyance until errors are rectified. Chairman G. Niranjan and Commission Members highlighted that while BCs received 22.78 percent reservations in 2019, the figure has now dropped to 21.39 percent despite a household survey.

National Backward Classes JAC Chairman and Rajya Sabha MP R Krishnaiah has accused the Congress government of deceiving backward classes by issuing GOMs 46, which he claims undermines BC interests. Addressing a protest at Gun Park in Hyderabad, he demanded reinstatement of GOMs 9 and extension of reservations to BCs.

The Panchayat Raj and Rural Employment Department in Telangana has established a dedicated legal cell to handle court cases related to gram panchayat elections.Three Superintendents have been deployed to assist exclusively with election-related cases.

On the opening day of nominations for the first phase of gram panchayat elections in Telangana, 3,242 nominations were filed for panchayats and 1,821 for wards, totalling 5,063. Yadadri Bhongir district recorded the highest number of nominations at 209.

The Congress government in Telangana has allotted only 45.41 percent of gram panchayat seats to women, falling short of the mandated 50 percent under the Panchayat Raj Act. This is lower than the 49.09 percent extended by the previous BRS government in 2019.

In Sangareddy, most gram panchayats along NH-65, NH-161 and other major roads have been placed under the open category in the upcoming elections, limiting opportunities for backward classes. These panchayats, known for real estate ventures, industries and illegal sand mining, are seen as lucrative hubs for local leaders.

The nomination process for the first phase of gram panchayat elections commenced in Khammam and Kothagudem districts on Thursday. A total of 192 gram panchayats and 1,740 wards in Khammam, and 159 gram panchayats with 1,436 wards in Kothagudem, have been notified.