Telangana High Court Mandates Local Body Elections Within Three Months
The Telangana High Court has directed the state government and the State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct elections for local bodies, including village panchayats, within three months. The court ordered voter list and reservation finalization within one month, followed by polls within two months. The ruling came in response to petitions from former sarpanches whose terms expired in late 2024.
Unpacked:
The local body elections were delayed because the terms of the panchayats expired in January 2024, and the state government cited the need for time to finalize ward divisions and reservations for backward classes. The delay led former sarpanches to file petitions, resulting in the High Court's recent directive to expedite the process.
The government must first finalize the division of wards and the reservation lists for backward classes within 30 days, as mandated by the court. After that, the State Election Commission must conduct the local body elections within the following two months.
Reservations in local body elections ensure that seats are allocated to candidates from backward classes and other marginalized groups, promoting their representation in rural governance. The process must comply with Supreme Court directives to uphold fairness and legal standards.
Former sarpanches are previous heads of village panchayats whose terms expired in early 2024. They filed petitions urging the court to direct the government to hold overdue elections, as governance in their villages was affected by the prolonged absence of elected local bodies.