According to sources, the polls are now anticipated to be held in December, a key moment in the nearly two-year tenure of A Revanth Reddy as chief minister.
Published Nov 13, 2025 | 4:19 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 13, 2025 | 4:19 PM
File photo of Congress supporters in Telangana. (INCTelangana/Facebook)
Synopsis: The Congress-led Telangana government is ramping up preparations to end the nearly two-year delay in local body polls. A stern directive from the Telangana High Court has set a deadline of 24 November for the state to notify an election schedule.
The Congress-led Telangana government is ramping up preparations to end the nearly two-year delay in local body polls. A stern directive from the Telangana High Court has set a deadline of 24 November for the state to notify an election schedule.
According to sources, the polls are now anticipated to be held in December, a key moment in the nearly two-year tenure of A Revanth Reddy as chief minister.
Exit polls for the by-election in the Jubilee Hills Assembly seat point to a strong lead for Congress, fuelling high morale within the party.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President B Mahesh Kumar Goud expressed confidence of a “huge majority” win, casting the result as a public endorsement of the government’s policies and governance.
Internally, a victory in this prominent urban constituency is seen as a vital momentum-setter ahead of the local bodies polls.
The government is understood to be planning to build on this by emphasising the upcoming local elections as a referendum on Revanth Reddy’s two years in office.
In line with this strategy, the administration is preparing to announce a bonus for high-quality paddy and new instalments under the Rythu Bharosa scheme — expected to be finalised at the Cabinet meeting on 15 November.
The high court’s intervention came amid scrutiny of the state’s attempt to raise Backward Class (BC) reservation in local bodies to 42 percent, which would push the total quota to about 67 percent — well above the Supreme Court of India-mandated ceiling of 50 percent.
In a 3 November hearing, a bench of Telanagna High Court comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin reprimanded the state for delaying the election process despite the term of existing local bodies ending in January 2024.
The bench cited Article 243E of the Constitution, underlining the obligation to hold timely elections to local bodies, within six months after the expiry of their term.
Petitioners — including Renka Surender and lawyer N Venkataiah — accused the Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) of stalling election preparations despite the court’s interim order of 9 October.
They argued the delay has crippled governance across over 13,000 Gram Panchayats, Mandal Praja Parishads and Zilla Praja Parishads — affecting more than 1.67 crore voters and disrupting public services such as water and sanitation.
During the hearing, when the government asked for a week’s adjournment to “obtain instructions”, the bench warned that reservation debates must not indefinitely stall elections.
The SEC’s senior counsel said the poll body was ready to proceed for non-BC reserved seats pending government instruction. The court directed the state to inform by 24 November of the election date, warning failure to comply could invite contempt or escalation to the Supreme Court.
The impasse began after the Congress victory in the 2023 Assembly elections. The existing local bodies’ term expired in January 2024, but polls have been deferred, with the government justifying the delay based on the need to revise reservations. The intention was to raise the BC quota to 42 percent to bolster marginalised communities’ representation.
In September 2025, the SEC announced a five-phase polling schedule between 23 October and 8 November, with nominations starting on 9 October — raising hopes of delayed elections. However, this was halted after the government order on BC reservations was challenged, and on 9 October, the high court issued an interim stay.
The government’s reservation increase remains stalled. Opposition parties such as the BRS have criticised the move as rushed and lacking a detailed study. The legal-political impasse deepened, leaving the elections in limbo.
The SEC is awaiting clear government directions, while the court-mandated deadline looms. Reports suggest the state is preparing for polling in December.
With the Cabinet meeting set for 15 November, where announcements on bonus for fine variety paddy and Rythu Bharosa are expected, and the approaching 24 November deadline set by the high court for the release of the schedule, all stakeholders — from political parties to officials and voters — are watching closely for an end to the stalemate.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
