Reservation of seats of Sarpanch & members in Telangana

GOVERNMENT OF TELANGANA
ABSTRACT

PR&RD Department — Elections — Elections to Gram Panchayats under Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018 as amended — Compæhensive Guidelines on reservations in supersession of earlier orders — Regarding.

PANCHAYAT RAJ AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (MZAD) DEPARTMENT

G.O.Ms. No.46

Dated: 22.11.2025.

Read the following:

1. G.O.Ms No.42, PR&RD, (MZAD) Department, dated 26-09-2025.
2. Hon' ble Supreme Court Judgment in W.P (Civil) No.980 of 2019.
3. G.O Ms.No.49, dt.04-I I -2024 of the Backward ClassesWeIfare (B) Department, Government of Telangana.
4. Telangana Panchayat Raj Act 2 of2025, dt.04-Ol -2025.
5. Dedicated Commission report, dt.20.l I .2025.
6. From the Director, PR&RE, Hyderabad, Lr.N0.CPRRE-G2/ELEC/7/2025-GSection, dt:21.11.2025.

ORDER:

In the reference 6th read above, the Director Panchayat Raj & Rural Employment Hyderabad, has proposed comprehensive guidelines on reservations in Gram Panchayat elections and requested the Government to take necessary action.

2. In the reference 2^ndread above, the Hon 'ble Supreme Court issued orders:

1. To set-up a dedicated Commission to conduct contemporaneous rigorous empirical inquiry in to the nature and implications of the backwardness quota in Gram Panchayats, within the State.
2. To specify the proportion of reservation required to be provisioned Gram Panchayat wise in light of recommendations of the Commission, so as not fall foul of over breadth.
3. In any case such reservation shall not exceed aggregate of 50 percent ofthe total seats reserved in favour of SCs/STs/OBCs taken together.

3. Accordingly, a Dedicated Commission was appointed by the Government vide reference 3 rd read above.

4. In the reference 4th read above, the Section 9, Section 1 7, Section 146, Section 147, Section 175 and Section 176 were amended to make reservations as per the recommendations of the Dedicated Commission.

5. In the reference 5 th read above, the Dedicated Commission has submitted its report recommending number of Ward Members and Sarpanches to be reserved to Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes.

6. As per Telangana Panchayat Raj Act 2018 as amended vide reference 4th read above, the reservation of seats/offices shall be by rotation commencing from the first ordinary elections held under the act. Ensuing elections shall be treated as second ordinary elections under the Act.

However Elections to those Gram Panchayats/wards which were notified newly after 2019 elections shall be treated as first ordinary elections under the Act. While making reservations to such new Sarpanches / Ward Members any reservations made in earlier elections shall be ignored and shall be treated as afresh.

7. In view of the above and in supersession of the earlier guidelines issued in the GO. I st read above, the following guidelines/procedure for fixation of reservations to Sarpanch & Ward Member are issued for the ensuing Gram Panchayat Elections.

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I. Procedure for Reservations:

1. As per section 9 and 17 ofTPR Act, 2018, the seats and offices of Ward Member & Sarpanch are to be reserved to the ST, SC, BC and Women members.
2. Reservation in Scheduled Areas:
   1. Article 243M(1) of Constitution of India reads as follows,

      "Nothing in this part (i.e., Part IX of the Constitution) shall apply to the scheduled areas referred to in clause (I) of Article 244 i.e., the scheduled areas of the state (5th/scheduIed area of the country )

   2. Section 255 of TSPR Act 2018 says,

   "The reservation of seats in the Scheduled Areas to every Gram Panchayat & Mandal Praja Parishad shall be in proportion to the population of the communities in that Gram Panchayat or Mandal Praja Parishad as the case may be:

   Provided that the reservation for the Scheduled Tribes shall not be less than one-half of the total number of seats:

   Provided further that all seats of Sarpanches of Gram Panchayats and Presidents of Mandals Praja Parishads shall be reserved for the Scheduled Tribes".

3. Section 9(3) of the T.S.P.R Act, 2018 reads as follows,

   "In the villages where 100% (Hundred percent) population is Scheduled Tribes, all the wards in every Gram Panchayat of such villages shall be filled up by persons belonging to Scheduled Tribes only"

4. The broad scheme of reservations in Gram Panchayats is depicted in the following table:

TABLE

Sl. No.	Office of the elected member	Competent Authority to reserve the Offices	Mode of Election	Section	Office/Seats to be reserved (Identification and allotment)
					ST	SC	BC
1	Ward Member	M.P.D.O	Direct	9	SEEEPC survey 2024	SEEEPC survey 2024	SEEEPC survey 2024
2	Sarpanch	R.D.O	Direct	17	2011 Census Population	2011 Census Population	SEEEPC survey 2024 Population

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II. Steps to be followed in allotting Seats of Ward Members:

1. As per Sub Section 7(b) of Section 9 of TPR Act, 2018 the Mandal Parishad Development Officer is the competent authority to make reservations to ST, SC and BC in respect of Wards.
2. As per Sub Section 12 of Section 9 ofTPR Act, 2018, as amended vide reference 4th read above.

   "Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, whenever a Dedicated Commission is appointed, reservations shall be made as per the recommendations of such Commission, approved by the Government".

3. Number of seats to be reserved to each category is indicated by the Dedicated Commission.
4. 1. As per sub section 8 of Section 9, as amended vide reference 4th read above, the reservation of Wards for Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and Women shall be by rotation as far as practicable,commencing from the first ordinary election under this Act.Ensuing elections shall be treated as second ordinary elections under the Act.
   2. As per sub section 9(a) of Section 9, while allotting the wards by rotation Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Tribe (women), Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Caste (women), Backward Classes, Backward Classes (women) un-reserved and Unreserved (women) shall be treated as separate categories:
   3. In previous election, if certain ward was reserved for Women in any category (ST/SC/BC/UR) the same ward shall not be reserved again this time to Women of any category, as far as practicable.
   4. If there are less number of wards left, after excluding wards reserved in the previous election, remaining wards shall be straightaway reserved to Women and for balance lottery shall be drawn.
   5. However, the reservations made to any category in the previous elections (2019) but elections could not take place to the concerned office, the reservations already made may be retain as it is in the ensuing elections, as the benefit of reservation could not be enjoyed by the concerned category.

   As per explanation to subsection 9(a) of section 9 of Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018 :

   Explanation:- For the removal ofdoubts, i/ is hereby declared that:-
   In case where the reservation for Scheduled Tribes or Scheduled Castes cannot be made due to non availability of their population* in required number of wards, then the reservation shall be made in descending order in such of those wards where the population* of Scheduled Tribes / Scheduled Castes are available in the first instance, and thereafter, the remaining reservation of Wards shall be made on the basis ofdraw oflots.

   * As shown in the table above, the reservation of Wards to ST/SC/BC is based on the population of SEEEPC survey 2024.

   Note: This rule is applicable to the Backward Classes also.

5. The Mandal Parishad Development Officer shall reserve in respect of Wards in the Gram Panchayat to ST, SC and BC basing on the proportionate population to the total population of the Ward in each category.
6. Work out in separate statements the proportion of population as per SEEEPC survey 2024 to the total population of the Ward for each Gram Panchayat in each category i.e., STS, SCS and BCS arrange them in the descending order.
7. First take ST descending order statement. Strike of the Wards allotted to the Scheduled Tribes during the earlier Ordinary Elections. Take the required number of wards from the remaining wards which are to be reserved for STS in the descending order.
8. Next the statement containing the SC descending orders has to be taken. Strike off the wards allotted to the Scheduled Castes during the earlier Ordinary Elections. Strike off the wards reserved for STS, as above. Take the required number of wards from the remaining wards which are to be reserved for SCS in the descending order.
9. Next the statement containing the BC descending orders has to be taken. Strike off the wards allotted to the BCS during the earlier Ordinary Elections. Strike off the wards reserved for STS & SCs, as above. Take the required number of wards from the remaining wards which are to be reserved for BCS in the descending order.
10. The wards remaining after striking off the wards reserved for STS, SCs, and BCS on the above mentioned lines will be un-reserved.
11. 1. As regards to reservation for women belonging to STS, SCs, BCS and Un-reserved it shall be made from among the wards reserved for STS, SCs, BCS and Un-reserved by draw of lots, as per point no. 4(i) and (ii) above.
    2. As per sub-section 6 of section 9 of Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018 one half of the number of wards reserved for Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes & Backward Classes and one half of the un-reserved wards shall be reserved for Women in each Gram Panchayat.
    3. While doing so a fraction of 0.5 shall be taken as zero, otherwise quantum of Women reservation breaches the above statutory provision.

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III. Steps to be followed in allotting Office of Sarpanches:

1. As per Sub Section 9(a) of Section 17 of Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018 the Revenue Divisional officer is the competent authority to make reservations to ST, SC and BC in respect of Sarpanches,
2. As per Sub Section 12 of Section 17 of Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018, as amended vide reference 4th read above.

   "Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, whenever a Dedicated Commission is appointed, reservations shall be made as per the recommendations of such Commission, approved by the Government".

3. Number of offices to be reserved to each category is indicated by the Dedicated Commission.
4. 1. As per sub section of Section 17, as amended vide reference 4th read above, the reservation of offices for Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and Women shall be by rotation as far as practicable commencing from the first ordinary election under this Act. The offices reserved to STS, SCs, BCS during the earlier ordinary elections shall not be again reserved to the same category till a cycle of reservations in that category is completed.

      In case where the reservation for Scheduled Tribes or Scheduled Castes or Backward Classes cannot be made due to non availability of their population in required number of Gram Panchayats, then the reservation shall be made in descending order in such of those Gram Panchayats where the population of Scheduled Tribes / Scheduled Castes/ Backward Classes are available in the first instance, and thereafter, the remaining reservation of Gram Panchayts shall be made on the basis of draw of lots.

   2. As per sub section of Section 17, for allotting the offices by rotation to the Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Tribe (women), Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Caste (women), Backward Classes, Backward Classes (women) Un-reserved and unreserved (women) shall be treated as separate categories:
   3. In previous election, if certain Gram Panchayat was reserved for Women in any category (ST/SC/BC/UR) the same Gram Panchayats shall not be reserved again this time to Women of any category, as far as practicable.
   4. If there are less number of Gram Panchayats left, after excluding Gram Panchayats reserved in the previous election, remaining Gram Panchayats shall be straight away be reserved to Women and for balance lottery shall be drawn.
   5. However, the reservations made to any category in the previous elections (2019) but elections could not take place to the concerned office, the reservations already made may be retained as it is in the ensuing elections, as the benefit of reservation could not be enjoyed by the concerned category.
   6. For the purpose of reservation for Grama Panchayats where the population is 100% STS, all the offices of Sarpanches shall be reserved for Scheduled Tribes only.
5. The Revenue Divisional Officer shall, allot offices of Sarpanches in of each Mandal Praja Parishad, for the members belonging to ST, SC and BC basing on the proportionate population to the total population of the Gram Panchayat in each category.
6. Work out in separate statements the proportion of population, as per 2011 census, to the total population of the Gram Panchayat for each Mandal in case of STS and SCS and arrange them in the descending order. Whereas, in the case of BCS, such statement shall be prepared based on the proportion of the BC population to the total population as per SEEPC Survey 2024.
7. First take ST descending order statement. Strike off the Sarpanches allotted to the Scheduled Tribes during the earlier Ordinary Elections. Take the required number of Sarpanches from the lemaining Sarpanches which are to be reserved for STS in the descending order.
8. Next the statement containing the SC descending orders has to be taken. Strike off the Sarpanches allotted to the Scheduled Castes during the earlier Ordinary Elections. Strike off the Sarpanches reserved for STS, as above. Take the required number of Sarpanches from the remaining Sarpanches which are to be reserved for SCS in the descending order.
9. Next the statement containing the BC descending orders has to be taken. Strike off the Sarpanches allotted to the BCS during the earlier Ordinary Elections. Strike off the Sarpanches reserved for STS & SCs, as above. Take the required number of Sarpanches from the remaining Sarpanches which are to be reserved for BCS in the descending order.
10. The Sarpanches remaining after striking off the offices of Sarpanches reserved for STS, SCs, and BCS on the above mentioned lines will be Un-reserved.
11. 1. As regards to reservation for women belonging to STS, SCs, BCS and un-reserved it shall be made from among the Sarpanches reserved for STS, SCs, BCS and unreserved by draw of lots, as per point no. 4(i) and (ii) above.
    2. As per sub-section 7(c) of section 17 of Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018 one half of the number of Gram Panchayats reserved for Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes & Backward Classes and one half of the un-reservecl Gram Panchayats shall be reserved for Women in each Gram Panchayat.
    3. While doing so a fraction of 0.5 shall be taken as zero, otherwise quantum of Women reservation breaches the above statutory provision.

8. The Director and State Election Authority, Panchayat Raj and Rural Employment, Hyderabad and District Collectors and District Election Authorities (Except Hyderabad and Medchal Malkajigiri Districts) shall take further necessary action in the matter accordingly.

(BY ORDER AND IN THE NAME OF THE GOVERNOR OF TELANGANA)

N.SRIDHAR

PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT

To
The Director and State Election Authority,
Panchayat Raj and Rural Employment, Hyderabad.
All District Collectors and District Election Authorities
(except Hyderabad and Medchal Malkajigiri Districts)
SF/SC

//FORWARDED BY ORDER]/

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