Telangana govt decides to conduct polls to Gram Panchayats, defers decision on other local bodies

Hyderabad: With its move to provide 42 per cent reservation to BCs in local bodies facing legal hurdles, the Telangana government on Monday decided to soon conduct elections only to the Gram Panchayats, deferring polls to other offices of rural local bodies.

Briefing reporters after a meeting of the state cabinet, state Information and Public Relations Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said the cabinet decided to hold the polls only to Gram Panchayats as funds (about Rs 3,000 crore) due to local bodies under the 15th Finance Commission would lapse by March, 2026.

However, the ruling Congress would allot 42 per cent seats to the Backward Classes as its efforts to allocate the said quotas to BCs in the local bodies officially did not bear fruit, he said.

Though the state legislature passed a legislation to ensure 42 per cent quota is still pending with the President, he said.

The High Court's verdict on the move went against the government, he recalled.

Reddy said the government would take a decision on conducting the polls to other local bodies, including Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs), after the matter is finally decided in courts.

Meanwhile, state government's adviser on minority affairs Mohammad Shabbir Ali said an official team, led by Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammad Azharuddin, has been deputed to Saudi Arabia to coordinate relief efforts following a bus accident there that left 42 pilgrims, mostly from the state, dead.

Meanwhile, the Telangana Cabinet approved a bill aimed at ensuring the welfare of gig workers.

State Labour Minister G Vivek Venkatswamy said the bill would be introduced in the assembly soon for passage.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', had favoured a legislation for the welfare of the gig workers to see that they get proper wages, he recalled.

The minister said a board would be formed which would have representation of gig workers' unions, aggregators and government.

The gig workers would have to register themselves and the bill provides for appointment of an officer who will address the problems of the former, he said.