NALGONDA: Bhusani Venkateswara Rao, who is heading the dedicated commission set up by the state government on the orders of the High Court to evaluate BC reservations in local bodies, said on Saturday that the panel has been gathering public opinions and petitions from BC caste associations, other caste groups, individuals, and organisations.
Speaking to reporters at the Nalgonda collectorate, Venkateswara Rao said that the panel, formed two weeks ago, has been conducting consultations with stakeholders in different districts.
Public consultations have already been held in Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts, and Saturday’s meeting in Nalgonda witnessed participation from BC and other caste groups, as well as individuals who submitted written requests and suggestions.
Venkateswara Rao disclosed that a public hearing on the issue will soon take place in Khammam and Mahbubnagar districts. In the Nalgonda public hearing, many participants demanded reservations in local bodies as per the proportion of BCs in the population. Suggestions were also made to categorise BC reservations into groups, such as ABCD, based on professional castes.
Petitions were submitted calling for a comprehensive survey to identify and provide representation to castes that have been historically underrepresented in local body elections. The commission will consider these inputs while finalising its recommendations.
In addition to public consultations, the commission received petitions and applications at the collectorate regarding the proportion of reservations in local bodies.