Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has started the process to increase BC (Backward Classes) quota in local body elections. However, Congress leaders are worried that this could take a long time and might not show immediate results. Local body polls are already overdue, and any further delays could hurt rural administration and risk losing central funds.
According to party sources, the BC census has been a key promise of the Congress party, but it involves many technical details that need careful attention. Rushing this process could lead to problems. For example, Karnataka promised a similar census and conducted it last year. However, the results were never published, leading to controversies and disagreements within the ruling party. The Deputy Chief Minister, who is also the state party chief, opposed the report and even signed a petition against it. Additionally, courts have questioned and sometimes rejected political reservations for BCs.
On August 1, the Telangana Backward Classes (BC) Commission met with Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Advisor to the Telangana Government on SC, ST, BC, and Minorities, to discuss BC reservations in local body elections. They also talked about an upcoming social, economic, and caste survey in the state. The Commission, led by Chairman D Vakulabharanam Krishna Mohan Rao, reviewed recent Supreme Court and High Court judgments and the necessary steps to follow.
Sources say that the State Election Commission has been informed about the census, and plans are in place to train Panchayat Officers for the task. These officers will conduct door-to-door surveys to prepare the BC voters list. The Election Commission will then declare wards with the most BC voters as reserved, under the current 50% cap.
Party leaders believe this is a lengthy process with high chances of legal challenges if rushed. Delaying local body polls further could risk losing central funds. A detailed and accurate census is crucial to avoid mistakes and misunderstandings. Otherwise, Telangana might face issues similar to Karnataka, warned a concerned leader to The Hans India.
