Published Aug 18, 2026 | 6:36 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 18, 2026 | 6:36 PM
Having laid out the vision on many fronts, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu cannot afford delays.
Synopsis: Ministers also directed officials to ensure local body elections are held by October. The deadline is set to prevent the state from losing ₹16,500 crore in central Finance Commission grants that are contingent on elected local governments being in place.
The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday, 18 August, approved 34 percent reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in rural local bodies and 33.1 percent in urban local bodies.
This was one of the poll promises made by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) before the 2024 Assembly elections.
The decision came at the end of a marathon Cabinet meeting that took up more than 55 agenda items.
Ministers also directed officials to ensure local body elections are held by October. The deadline is set to prevent the state from losing ₹16,500 crore in central Finance Commission grants that are contingent on elected local governments being in place.
The Cabinet also cleared the way for direct elections to the post of municipal mayor. At the same time, it chose to retain the current norm of a single Deputy Mayor per municipality, rather than expanding the post.
The decision on reservation follows recommendations from Rajiv Ranjan Mishra commission that was tasked with studying the social, economic, and political backwardness of BC communities in order to implement necessary quota in local body elections.
A formal bill is expected to be tabled in the Assembly soon.
Meanwhile, the CPIM Andhra Pradesh demanded the government make the Rajiv Ranjan Mishra commission report public a day earlier.
In an official statement released on 17 August, the party called for an all party meeting to discuss the findings and recommendations of the commission.
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