Is the Nomination Process for Telangana's Gram Panchayat Elections Underway?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Nominations for Gram Panchayat elections are open until November 29.
- The first phase of voting will occur on December 11.
- Over 1.66 crore voters are eligible to participate.
- Significant reservations for Backward Classes in local governance.
- Future elections for other bodies will follow pending court decisions.
Hyderabad, Nov 27 (NationPress) The nomination phase for Gram Panchayat elections in Telangana commenced on Thursday.
Nominations for the initial phase covering 4,326 villages and 37,459 wards are now being accepted statewide.
Candidates may submit their nominations until November 29, with the final date for withdrawal set for December 3.
Election officials have confirmed that nominations will be accepted daily between 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The first election phase is scheduled for December 11, with polling hours from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and vote counting beginning the same day at 2 p.m.
According to the notification released by the Telangana State Election Commission on Tuesday, elections will also take place on December 14 and 17 for 12,728 posts of sarpanchs and 1,12,242 wards.
I. Rani Kumudini, the State Election Commissioner, has declared that the model code of conduct is now in effect throughout the state.
A total of 1.66 crore voters in rural regions are eligible to participate in these elections.
For the second phase, nominations will be accepted starting November 30, with the withdrawal deadline on December 6. Nominations for the final election phase can be submitted from December 3, with December 9 as the last date for withdrawal.
The Telangana Cabinet decided on November 17 to hold only the Gram Panchayat elections in December, as the Rs 3000 crore grant from the Centre is set to expire by March 31, 2026.
This grant, associated with the completion of the 15th Finance Commission term by March 31, 2026, will lapse if elections are not conducted by this deadline.
Decisions regarding the elections for Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs), Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs), and municipal corporations will be made pending the High Court's final ruling concerning 42 percent reservation for BCs.
Following a High Court directive, local body elections must maintain a 50 percent cap on total reservations for all categories.
The SEC has allocated 17.08 percent reservation in Gram Panchayats for Backward Classes (BCs), with 2,176 of 12,735 Gram Panchayats reserved for BCs.
Among the 31 districts participating in the elections, Siddipet boasts the highest BC reservation at 26.772, while Bhadradri Kothagudem district has no reservations for BCs.