The Telangana High Court has issued a decisive mandate to the state government and the State Election Commission (SEC), directing them to conduct long-overdue local body elections within the next three months. Justice T. Madhavi Devi, ruling on a batch of petitions filed by former sarpanches, told authorities to finish ward delimitation in 30 days and complete the entire polling process by September 30. The court dismissed arguments from government lawyers that more time was needed, noting that the elected panchayats’ terms expired on January 31, 2024—well beyond the six-month constitutional limit for holding fresh elections—and that special officers currently running village administrations violate Articles 243E and 243K as well as the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act 2018.
During earlier hearings, the state’s Additional Advocate General had asked for an extra month to finalise backward-class reservation lists, promising strict compliance with Supreme Court directions. The SEC’s counsel, senior advocate Vidyasagar, assured the bench that once those reservations are notified, the Commission can conduct polls within 60 days. Nonetheless, the judge reminded both agencies that the government had already assured the court last year it would finish elections by February 2025 and that further procrastination was unacceptable. Monday’s reserved verdict, delivered on Wednesday, therefore sets a firm timeline and leaves no room for extension.
Former sarpanches welcomed the order, arguing that governance and development work have stalled in scores of villages because appointed special officers lack the mandate of elected representatives. Several petitioners also told the court they had personally advanced funds for local projects during their tenure and are still awaiting reimbursement. With today’s ruling, the High Court has effectively revived grassroots democracy across Telangana’s rural landscape, compelling state authorities to restore elected self-government and ending an 18-month democratic vacuum in village panchayats.
