The Congress party has made an election promise of providing 42% reservation to Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections. But concerns are growing that the state government might hold elections without increasing the BC quota. The terms of Gram Panchayats ended last February, and those of mandal and zilla parishads expired in July, yet elections have not been held on time. This delay has resulted in the Finance Commission withholding funds.
During the last Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, CM Revanth Reddy promised to provide 42% reservation for BCs in local elections. However, the absence of a BC caste census has raised doubts over the fulfillment of this commitment. BC leaders, skeptical of the government’s inaction, are staging protests across the state, with many calling for the implementation of the 42% reservation, as promised in the Kamareddy BC Declaration.
Recently, CM Revanth Reddy assured that if the 42% quota is not implemented in local elections, Congress will allocate 42% of its party seats to BC candidates. However, this has not quelled concerns within the BC community.
The BC Commission, formed under the leadership of Dr. Vakulabharanam Krishnamohan Rao during the previous administration, was tasked by the Supreme Court with determining BC reservations in local elections. Despite several recommendations and reports submitted by the Commission to the Revanth government, no decisive action has been taken. The Commission’s three-year term ended on August 31, and while Congress ministers have called for an extension, it is likely that a new governing body will be appointed, potentially delaying the process.
Political analysts point out that it is common practice across India to extend a commission’s term to complete its work. In Karnataka, for example, the BJP-appointed BC Commission under Jayaprakash Hegde continued its work and submitted a full report on the caste census under the new Congress government. Legal experts argue that the Revanth government should have continued the Vakulabharanam Commission.