T'gana govt decides to conduct polls to Gram Panchayats, defers decision on other local bodies

HYDERABAD: (Nov 18) With its move to provide 42 per cent reservation to BCs in local bodies facing legal hurdles, the Telangana government has decided to soon conduct elections only to the Gram Panchayats, deferring polls to other offices of rural local bodies.

Briefing reporters after a meeting of the state Cabinet, Information and Public Relations Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy on Monday said the Cabinet decided to hold the polls only to Gram Panchayats as funds (about Rs 3,000 crore) due to local bodies under the 15th Finance Commission would lapse by March, 2026.

However, the ruling Congress would allot 42 per cent seats to the Backward Classes as its efforts to allocate the said quotas to BCs in the local bodies officially did not bear fruit, he said.