The State government has officially announced a 42% reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in both seats and leadership roles across local bodies, finally putting an end to the prolonged delay in conducting these crucial elections.
This landmark order, issued on Friday, September 26, addresses the unique and pervasive challenges faced by BC communities in Telangana, who suffer from multi-dimensional backwardness in social and political spheres. The decision was made after delays in obtaining Presidential Assent for previous legislative acts that also aimed to provide 42% reservations for these communities.
According to BC Welfare Secretary Jyoti Buddha Prakash, the government’s order is firmly grounded in empirical evidence, robust legal frameworks, and judicial endorsements. He emphasized the urgent need to foster the welfare, empowerment, and full societal integration of backward classes, aligning this initiative with the constitutional principles of equality, social justice, and inclusive growth.
Prakash highlighted Article 40 of the Indian Constitution, which mandates that states organize village panchayats and grant them the necessary powers to operate as self-governing units. Furthermore, the Constitution expressly permits states to reserve seats in any panchayat, including chairperson positions at all levels, specifically for Backward Class citizens.
The government referenced the establishment of a Dedicated Commission, led by retired bureaucrat Busani Venkateshwara Rao last November. This commission was tasked with conducting a thorough and contemporary empirical study into the extent and impact of backwardness within local bodies, with the goal of determining appropriate reservation percentages. Following this, a comprehensive Social, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political, and Caste (SEEEPC) survey was conducted in February, gaining approval from both houses of the Legislature. This survey provided critical insights into the comparative economic, social, educational, employment, and political standing of various castes across the state.
The SEEEPC survey revealed that Backward Class communities, despite comprising 56.33% of the state’s population, continued to significantly lag behind in various indicators. Consequently, the One Man Commission recommended a minimum of 42% reservation in political representation, specifically for local bodies.
After thoroughly reviewing the Commission’s recommendations and acknowledging the insufficient political representation of the BC population, the government decided to raise the reservation level in both rural and urban local bodies to 42%. This move, aimed at enhancing their welfare and progress, led to the unanimous passage of ‘The Telangana Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Rural and Urban Local Bodies) Bill, 2025’ by all political parties in both houses of the Legislature.
Following this, the Dedicated Commission received expanded terms of reference to specify the allocation of seats and positions for backward classes across individual local bodies. The Commission submitted its detailed report on July 28, outlining these allocations for rural local bodies, which the government then carefully reviewed and acted upon, as stated in the order.