How Many Candidates Have Filed Nominations for the Telangana Gram Panchayat Polls?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Over 25,000 candidates have filed nominations for Telangana's Gram Panchayat elections.
- First phase elections are set for December 11.
- There are 12,728 posts of sarpanchs across 31 districts.
- The Rs 3,000 crore grant is at stake, highlighting the importance of timely elections.
- Reservations for Backward Classes stand at 17.08 percent.
Hyderabad, Nov 30 (NationPress) Over 25,000 individuals have submitted their nominations for the inaugural phase of the Gram Panchayat elections in Telangana, which are set to take place on December 11.
The State Election Commission has reported that a total of 25,654 nominations were filed across 4,236 Gram Panchayats in 31 districts.
On the final day for nominations, 17,940 candidates submitted their papers.
In total, 82,276 nominations were recorded for 37,440 wards.
The State Election Commission announced on Sunday that 70,596 nominations were received on the last day.
Officials are currently reviewing the nominations, and the list of valid candidates is expected to be revealed later on Sunday.
Appeals regarding nominations can be submitted on December 1, with resolutions to be made the following day. The deadline for withdrawal of candidatures is also in December.
The first phase of voting will occur on December 11, with polling from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and vote counting starting at 2 p.m.
According to a notification from the Telangana State Election Commission on Tuesday, elections are scheduled for December 11, 14, and 17 for 12,728 posts of sarpanchs and 1,12,242 wards.
Approximately 1.66 crore votes from rural areas are eligible for these elections.
For the second phase, nominations will be accepted starting November 30, with the last date for withdrawal set for December 6. Nominations for the final phase will be open from December 3, closing on December 9.
The Telangana Cabinet resolved on November 17 to exclusively conduct Gram Panchayat elections in December, as the Rs 3,000 crore grant from the Centre will expire by March 31, 2026.
If elections are not held before this deadline, the Rs 3,000 crore grant that Gram Panchayats are to receive from the Centre will lapse due to the impending end of the 15th Finance Commission term.
Decisions regarding elections for Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs), Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs), and municipal corporations will follow the High Court's final rulings on 42 percent reservation for Backward Classes.
According to the High Court ruling, local body elections must adhere to a 50 percent cap on total reservations across all sections.
The SEC has allocated 17.08 percent reservation in Gram Panchayats for Backward Classes (BCs), with 2,176 out of 12,735 Gram Panchayats reserved for them.
Among the 31 districts participating in the elections, Siddipet boasts the highest BC reservation at 26.772, while in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, there are no reservations for BCs.