Hyderabad: With the Telangana High Court on Thursday issuing an interim order staying a Government Order providing 42 per cent reservation to the Backward Classes in local bodies, the upcoming elections for Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTCs) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) seats and Panchayats came to a halt as the poll notification was based on the enhanced quota to BCs.

The State Election Commission (SEC) suspended the election schedule announced on September 29 after the HC’s stay order. In an official statement, the State Election Commissioner Rani Kumudini said: “The election notification issued for the conduct of elections to the MPTCS/ZPTCs and Gram Panchayats is hereby kept in abeyance with immediate effect, until further orders”.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin, which heard a batch of petitions challenging the state government's order that increased the BC quota, directed the government to file its reply in four weeks.

Officials said that, since the SEC had notified the BC quota in line with GO No. 9, the elections will not be held until the court gives clear directions on the quota. Official sources said that, given the latest directives of the court, the elections to local bodies could be delayed by at least six weeks.

Earlier in the day, exercising the powers conferred by Article 243-K of the Constitution of India and Section 197 and Section 198 of Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018, the SEC had issued notification asking the voters in the all the Zilla Praja Parishad Territorial Constituencies in the state to elect a member as well as in all the Mandal Praja Parishad Territorial Constituencies (except 14 MPTCs of Mangapet MPP in Mulugu District due to the court's order) and notified the schedule for the conduct of the said elections and started the nomination process. The Commission had planned to take up MPTC and ZPTC elections in two phases.

However, as of now, the state government is also not sure about the conduct of the elections to local bodies in the wake of the High Court order.