The state government is gearing up for conducting elections to local bodies in the state within the next three months, after the Supreme Court directive to that effect on Monday.
Now, the total reservation in local bodies is 60.55 percent. Elections will be held as per the 2001 census for implementing SC, ST and BC quota. Women will get 50 percent ‘horizontal’ reservation, which means they get 50 percent seats in both reserved and general categories.
Elections will be conducted in a three-tier system for sarpanches, Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs). MPTCs will elect mandal parishad presidents and ZPTCs will elect zilla parishad chairpersons.
It will be an indirect election for sarpanches and there will be no party symbols. Direct elections will be held for MPTCs and ZPTCs where party symbols will be used.
“We have to make some minor changes in the reservations and submit the report to the State Election Commission within the next two months. The SEC will complete the election process within 20 days,” panchayat raj minister K Jana Reddy said.
The High Court quashed the state government’s decision to provide 34 percent reservation to BCs as the total reservation would cross 60 pc, in view of the 50 pc cap on total quota.
On appeal, the Supreme Court court, in its interim orders, directed the government to conduct elections by providing 34 percent reservation to BCs basing on 2001 census.