Telangana’s decision to reduce the sarpanch quota for Backward Classes (BCs) to 17 percent in the upcoming Gram Panchayat elections has triggered widespread protests, with BC organisations, Opposition parties, and activists accusing the ruling Congress of reneging on its pre-poll promise of 42 percent reservations.
The controversy follows Government Order (GO) Ms No. 46, issued on November 22, which finalises category-wise reservations for the 12,735 Gram Panchayats going to polls on December 11, 14, and 17. Based on the 2024 BC caste survey and 2011 Census data for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), the GO allocates 2,176 sarpanch seats, 17.08 percent, to BC candidates, a sharp drop from the previous uniform 25 percent mandated under the old Act.
The allocation follows a sequential formula, ST seats first, then SC, and finally BCs, adhering to the Supreme Court’s 50 percent ceiling. Agency regions receive higher ST reservations, and 50 percent of all posts remain reserved for women. Officials say the method aligns with the High Court’s directive to base reservations on “quantifiable data” and avoid over-reservation.
BC groups, however, argue the new system creates stark disparities across districts, Siddipet tops with 26.77 percent BC-reserved seats, while Khammam drops to just 9.46 percent, and claim the move weakens BC electoral visibility in several mandals.
The controversy has political roots. During the 2023 Assembly elections, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s “Kamareddy Declaration” promised a 42 percent BC quota across jobs, education, and local bodies. A bill reflecting these enhancements was passed in February 2025, raising total reservations above 65 percent.
The Telangana High Court stayed the enhanced quotas on October 11, citing the 50 percent ceiling upheld in the Indra Sawhney (1992) and Vikas Gawali (2021) judgments. The Supreme Court confirmed the stay on October 16, directing elections to proceed under earlier norms until a dedicated commission provided empirical data.
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That commission submitted its report on November 20, paving the way for GO 46, which retains the 50 percent cap. Government officials argue the new quotas are constitutionally compliant and data-driven, noting that SC and ST allocations remain proportional to their demographic shares—around 16 percent and 9 percent respectively.
BC groups remain unconvinced. On November 23, activists in Karimnagar burned copies of GO 46, accusing the government of betraying BC voters. The Joint Action Committee, led by Rajya Sabha MP R. Krishnaiah, warned of statewide protests unless the GO is withdrawn. “This is not justice; this is a conspiracy to sideline BCs,” he said.
Opposition parties have seized on the issue. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) plans statewide protests from November 27, with its BC wing calling the 17 percent quota a “historic injustice.” Party working president K.T. Rama Rao accused the Congress of “deceiving” BC voters with false promises.
Within the Congress, unease simmers, though ministers defend the move. Panchayat Raj Minister D. Sridhar Babu said on November 25 that the allocations balance “equity and legal prudence,” urging the BC community to trust the commission’s findings.
The reservation dispute comes at a sensitive moment. With delays hampering village-level administration, the December elections are crucial to restoring local governance responsible for water supply, sanitation, and rural development.
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