Telangana gears up for local body elections; 42 per cent BC quota depends on political parties

Implementation of 42 per cent reservations for BCs will solely depend on the discretion of political parties, as it requires constitutional amendment which is a prerogative of BJP-led Central government

Hyderabad: The countdown for local body elections in Telangana has begun, with the State government expediting preparations to conduct Panchayat Raj elections.

However, the implementation of 42 per cent reservations for the Backward Classes (BCs), will now solely depend on the discretion of the political parties, as it requires constitutional amendment which is a prerogative of the BJP-led Central government.

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Official sources indicate that the notification for Mandal Parishad (MPTC) and Zilla Parishad (ZPTC) elections is expected within a week to ten days, followed by Gram Panchayat polls.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, while tabling the Social, Economic, Employment, Education, Political, and Caste Census Survey 2024 report in the Assembly on Tuesday, kept the onus of implementing 42 per cent reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in the State.

Further, the Assembly passed a resolution merely urging the Centre to conduct a nationwide caste census, stopping short of demanding an increase in reservation beyond the Supreme Court-mandated 50 per cent cap.

Unless the Centre gives a green light and brings a Constitutional amendment, the 42 per cent quota for BCs remains a far-fetched dream. Much to their dismay, the upcoming local body polls will be held with the old reservations.

In light of these developments, political parties might implement the 42 per cent quota for BCs in ticket allocations especially, for the MPTC and ZPTC elections. The same cannot be possible for gram panchayat elections which are contested independently.

Arrangements in Full Swing

According to official sources, the State Election Commission (SEC) will release the election schedule by mid-February, aiming to complete the process before the Class X board exams begin on March 21. The MPTC and ZPTC elections, which will be held on party symbols, are expected to be wrapped up within two weeks, while Gram Panchayat polls, conducted on a non-party basis, will be spread over two-three phases.

Just like in 2018, the elections will be conducted using ballot papers, with tenders already floated for printing. Some districts have completed tenders and are ready for ballot printing. Additionally, ward-wise voter lists have been finalised after corrections, ensuring accuracy.

The SEC has mobilised resources at the field level, with nodal officers appointed to oversee ballot box management, training, transport, expenditure monitoring, media coordination, and grievance redressal. A teleconference led by SEC Secretary Ashok Kumar reviewed logistical aspects, including polling station identification, voter count verification, appointment of Returning Officers (ROs), and staff training.

The SEC has instructed collectors to dispatch 10 election officers per district for training in Hyderabad, which commenced on Wednesday. These trainers will later train polling staff at the district level.

Political Heat Intensifies

With election dates nearing, Congress and BRS have ramped up their political strategies. The ruling Congress is keen to leverage its caste census report to consolidate BC support, while the opposition BRS is expected to counter with its previous governance record and expose the failed promises of the Congress government including its failure to ensure BC reservations.

The elections will serve as a litmus test for both parties in the aftermath of the 2023 Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, speculation is rife that municipal elections could also be held soon, adding another layer to the political battleground.