Hyderabad, Oct 9: Following the Telangana High Court’s stay on the state government order providing 42% reservation for Backward Classes in local bodies, the State Election Commission (SEC) has suspended the election notification until further orders. The SEC, which had issued the notification on September 29 for elections to rural local bodies, announced that elections for Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs), Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs), and Gram Panchayats are now kept in abeyance.

The High Court’s division bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin pronounced the interim order after a two-day hearing on petitions challenging the BC reservations and adjourned the hearing for six weeks. The bench directed the state government and SEC to file comprehensive counter affidavits in four weeks, while petitioners have two weeks to respond.

The elections, initially scheduled in five phases from October to November with over 1.67 crore eligible voters, included ZPTCs and MPTCs on October 23 and 27, and Gram Panchayats on October 31, November 4, and November 8. The state government had issued the GO on September 26 reserving 42% seats in local bodies, following Assembly Bills passed on August 31, which are still awaiting the President’s approval.