Hyderabad: Although the Telangana Cabinet met on Thursday to discuss several issues, including BC reservations and local body elections, no decisions were taken. In a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister K. Revanth Reddy, it was reported that the government decided to defer discussions on local body elections to a subsequent meeting. The delay comes after the High Court issued a stay on the 42% BC reservations, putting a hold on the schedule for local elections. The government is reportedly deliberating whether to go ahead with elections by granting reservations or to wait for the court verdict.
Despite speculation that a decision on local elections might be taken during Thursday’s meeting, the issue was not addressed. Pending approval of the assembly-passed bill from the President, and the ordinance awaiting the Governor’s signature, along with the High Court’s stay on government orders, left the cabinet unable to take a concrete decision. However, sources indicate that the party is likely to go ahead with elections by providing 42% reserved seats, as efforts to avoid this outcome have not succeeded.
Meanwhile, the state government is set to issue an ordinance to remove the two-children rule for candidates contesting local body elections. The cabinet had earlier approved amendments to Section 21(3) of the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018. The file, already signed by the Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Seethakka and CM Revanth Reddy, will be sent to Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan for approval, following which the ordinance will be formally issued.