Hyderabad: The Supreme Court has issued a stay on the upcoming panchayat elections in 23 villages of Mangapeta Mandal, Mulugu district, Telangana. The villages, previously declared as tribal habitations by the Telangana High Court, became the center of a legal dispute after non-tribal residents challenged the classification.
The matter traces back to 1950 when Presidential orders reportedly indicated that these villages did not fall under tribal areas. In 2013, tribal organizations petitioned the High Court to recognize them as tribal villages based on Nizam-era orders, and the court ruled in their favor. Non-tribal residents subsequently approached the Supreme Court, arguing that their villages should not be classified as tribal habitations.
During the proceedings, the Supreme Court issued interim orders staying the High Court verdict and temporarily suspending panchayat elections in the affected villages. Notices have been served to all parties involved, and the case remains under judicial review.
The Telangana government is in the process of preparing for state-wide local body elections, but the court’s order has delayed the electoral process in Mangapeta Mandal. The ruling underscores the legal complexities surrounding the classification of tribal and non-tribal areas in the state.