Reservations cover Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), Backward Classes (BC), and women, implemented on a rotational basis to prevent repetition from prior elections. 

The Telangana government, on Saturday, issued Government Order (GO) No. 46, outlining comprehensive guidelines for reservations in Gram Panchayat elections. The order finalises procedures for allocating reserved seats for Sarpanch and Ward Members, capping total reservations at 50% to align with Supreme Court directives.

This move paves the way for expedited local body polls, with district administrations directed to complete allocations by November 23, 2025, and notify the State Election Commission for schedule release.

The guidelines emphasise equity and rotation, drawing on robust data sources to ensure fair representation for marginalised communities. Reservations cover Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), Backward Classes (BC), and women, implemented on a rotational basis to prevent repetition from prior elections. Notably, wards or villages reserved in previous cycles will not be reallocated to the same category, while unimplemented quotas from the 2019 elections will carry forward unchanged. Allocations follow a 'Descending Population Order' priority: ST first, followed by SC, then BC.

Key data pillars include the Social, Economic, Employment, Political, and Educational Census (SEEPC 2024) for population proportions, supplemented by the 2011 Census specifically for Sarpanch reservations. For Ward Members, caste enumeration from SEEPC guides SC/ST/BC quotas. In 100% ST-dominated villages, all Sarpanch posts and wards are exclusively reserved for ST candidates, underscoring targeted upliftment.

Women's reservation, a cornerstone of the policy, mandates 50% horizontal allocation across all categories (ST/SC/BC), calculated separately to amplify female leadership. In scenarios with fewer Gram Panchayats or wards, women's seats take precedence, with remaining slots decided via lottery in the presence of political party representatives. This ensures gender parity without diluting category-specific protections.

Mandal Parishad Developent Officers (MPDOs) will oversee Ward Member reservations, while Revenue Divisional Officers (RDOs) handle Sarpanch allocations, both conducted transparently with stakeholder input. District Collectors and election authorities have been instructed to mobilise resources promptly, fostering a participatory process.

The order stems from recommendations by a special reservation commission, formed per Supreme Court mandates, and signals the government's resolve to conduct free, fair elections at the grassroots level.

As preparations intensify, the state anticipates informing the High Court on November 24, 2025, of poll readiness, potentially culminating in election notifications shortly thereafter.