Hyderabad, Nov 25 (IANS) Gram Panchayat elections in Telangana will be held in three phases next month.
As per the notification issued by the Telangana State Election Commission announced on Tuesday, elections will be held on December 11, 14 and 17 for 12,728 posts of sarpanchs and 1,12,242 wards.
State Election Commissioner I. Rani Kumudini said the model code of conduct came into immediate effect across the state.
She said polling would be held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the counting of votes would be taken the same day from 2 p.m.
A total of 1.66 crore votes in rural areas are eligible to cast their votes in these elections.
The SEC recalled that the election notification was issued on September 29, but the same was later kept in abeyance.
Nominations for the first phase of elections open on November 27, while the last date for withdrawal of candidatures will be December 3.
For the second phase, nominations will be accepted from November 30, while the last date for withdrawal of candidatures will be December 6. Nominations for the final phase of elections can be filed from December 3, while December 9 will be the last date for withdrawal of nominations.
The SEC has provided 17.08 per cent reservation in Gram Panchayats for Backward Classes (BCs). Out of the total 12,735 Gram Panchayats, 2,176 have been reserved for BCs.
Among 31 districts where elections will be held, Siddipet has the highest BC reservation at 26.772. In Bhadradri Kothagudem district, no Gram Panchayat has been reserved for BCs.
The Telangana Cabinet on November 17 decided to conduct only Gram Panchayat elections in December as the Rs 3000 crores grant that should come from the Centre will lapse by March 31, 2026.
As the term of the 15th Finance Commission is coming to an end on March 31, 2026, the Rs 3000 crores grant that Gram Panchayats have to get from the Centre will lapse if the elections are not held before the deadline.
It was announced that the decision on conducting elections for Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs), Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs) and municipal corporations will be taken after the High Court’s final orders on 42 per cent reservation for BCs.
As per the High Court order, the local body elections have to be held with a 50 per cent cap on total reservation for all sections.
The government issued an order to provide 42 per cent reservation to BCs, and based on this, the election process had also started in September. However, as the High Court set aside the government order, the election process was suspended.
The government will decide on conducting MPTC, ZPTC polls after the court pronounces its final orders on 42 per cent reservation.
