Hyderabad:
The Telangana government has begun preparations for the upcoming Panchayat elections, with the notification likely to be issued on January 14, 2025. Elections are expected to take place in the second week of February.
The government has decided to conduct the elections in three phases, as per earlier announcements. Additionally, several key reforms are being planned for the Panchayati Raj system. One of the significant changes includes a proposal to establish Mandal Parishad Presidents (MPPs) with at least five MPTCs (Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies), as opposed to the current system where some MPPs are formed with just three MPTCs. A bill regarding this change is expected to be introduced in the next Assembly session.
The term of the current Sarpanches in Telangana ended in February 2024. Since then, village panchayats have been under the administration of in-charge officials. These elections will be the first Sarpanch elections under the Congress government, making them politically significant. There has been widespread criticism from the public regarding the inefficiency of special officers’ governance, with complaints about unresolved village issues.
This sets the stage for highly anticipated elections in the state.
