The Telangana government has put an end to the ongoing debate regarding reservations in local body elections in Telangana. The state government has issued a new Government Order (GO) outlining the finalisation of reservations for sarpanch and ward members.

According to the guidelines released, the total reservations will not exceed the 50 per cent limit established for local body elections. The Panchayat Raj Department has confirmed that district collectors will be responsible for finalising these reservations. Under the new GO, reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Backward Classes (BC) will be established, ensuring that the overall limit is adhered to.

As per the guidelines, Backward Classes will receive a reservation of 23 per cent for both sarpanch and ward seats.