Hyderabad, June 25, 2025 — In a significant development aimed at strengthening grassroots democracy, the Telangana High Court has directed the State Government and the State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct pending local body elections within three months, setting a deadline of September 30, 2025.
The Court issued the order after hearing multiple petitions highlighting the delay in conducting elections for vacant posts in gram panchayats, municipalities, and other local bodies across the state.
Court Emphasizes Constitutional Mandate
The division bench stressed that elected local bodies are fundamental to ensuring decentralized governance, as guaranteed under the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments. The Court observed that denying timely elections undermines the democratic rights of citizens and hampers developmental activities at the grassroots level.
“The people’s right to choose their local representatives cannot be indefinitely deferred. The government and the SEC must act promptly,” the Court noted.
Government and SEC Under Pressure
Following the verdict, the State Election Commission is expected to release a detailed schedule for the polls, covering:
Village Panchayat elections
Mandal Parishad and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTC & ZPTC)
Urban Local Body elections
Sources indicate that preparatory activities, including voter list updates and polling station arrangements, are already underway.
Political Reactions
The opposition parties welcomed the High Court’s intervention, accusing the ruling government of deliberately delaying elections to avoid electoral accountability.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Revanth Reddy stated, “The Court’s decision upholds democratic principles. People deserve elected representatives at every level.”
Meanwhile, state government officials maintained that the delay was due to technical, legal, and delimitation-related issues but assured compliance with the Court’s directive.
Why Local Body Elections Matter
Local bodies play a crucial role in:
- Implementing welfare schemes
- Managing local infrastructure like roads, water supply, and sanitation
- Enabling citizen participation in governance
- Strengthening accountability at the village, mandal, and municipal levels
The SEC is expected to finalize the election roadmap within weeks. With the Court’s deadline looming, political parties across Telangana are gearing up for an intense campaign season that will determine the leadership of hundreds of local institutions.