Telangana government to decide on gram panchayat elections on February 5
![Telangana government to decide on gram panchayat elections on February 5 Telangana government to decide on gram panchayat elections on February 5](https://www.deccanchronicle.com/h-upload/2025/01/29/1886176-cre.webp)
Hyderabad: The state government is set to take a decision on the long-pending gram panchayat elections on February 5, official sources said. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy conducted a review meeting on the Panchayat Raj department on Wednesday, where the issue of conducting these elections was discussed in detail.
Both the Caste Census report and the Dedicated BC Commission’s findings are expected to be submitted to the government by February 2. These reports will be discussed in the Cabinet meeting on February 5 to determine the enhancement of BC reservations in the gram panchayat elections.
The government is reportedly inclined to conduct the gram panchayat elections in three phases by the end of February. A final decision on the election schedule will be made after the cabinet meeting.
According to sources, the Chief Minister indicated that he would convene a Cabinet meeting on February 5 to discuss the matter comprehensively and finalise the schedule for the gram panchayat elections.
The five-year tenure of gram panchayats ended on February 1, 2024. Since then, special officers have been managing panchayat affairs in the absence of elected bodies. With gram panchayats nearing one year without elected representatives, village-level administration has suffered. Additionally, the Central government has halted grants to gram panchayats, citing the lack of elected bodies.
The Congress, during its 2023 Assembly election campaign, had promised to enhance Backward Classes (BC) reservations in gram panchayat elections to 42%. After assuming office in December 2023, the government established a Dedicated BC Commission in November 2024 to evaluate BC political representation in local bodies and suggest measures for increasing their reservations. Furthermore, a caste census was also ordered in November 2024 to analyse the socio-economic and political representation of all castes.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, ministers N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Damodar Rajanarasimha, Seethakka, former minister K. Jana Reddy, adviser to the state government K. Keshava Rao, Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari, and other senior officials.