The Telangana State Election Commission (TSEC) is moving forward with its long-anticipated rural local body elections, having issued the first official notification today as scheduled. This crucial step comes after the Telangana High Court declined to halt the electoral process, allowing the TSEC to proceed despite ongoing legal challenges.
The road to these elections has been contentious, primarily due to petitions filed against the state government’s decision to implement a 42% reservation for backward class communities in local bodies. Petitioners argued that this reservation exceeded the 50% cap mandated by constitutional principles and a Supreme Court judgment.
However, the High Court, during its hearing on Wednesday, chose not to issue a stay order, thereby giving the green light for the election machinery to continue its work. In light of this, the State Election Commission confirmed its unwavering commitment to the scheduled polls.
Elections for Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs), Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs), and gram panchayats will be conducted in five distinct phases. Today’s notification marks the commencement of the first phase. In total, the state will see elections for 565 ZPTCs, 5,749 MPTCs, 12,733 sarpanch positions, and a massive 1.12 lakh ward member seats.
The voting for ZPTCs and MPTCs, which will be contested on political party symbols, is set to occur in two phases on October 23 and October 27. Following these, elections for the gram panchayat level positions will be held in three subsequent phases: October 30, November 4, and November 8.
The entire electoral exercise will culminate on November 11, when the votes for the ZPTC and MPTC polls will be counted, and results announced on the very same day, officially bringing the election process to a close.