BC Reservation For 26 Communities Withdrawn Again Ahead Of Civic Polls In Telangana

The Telangana government has once again reiterated its earlier decision to withdraw Backward Class reservation benefits from 26 communities, including the Reddy Gandla community. The clarification was issued on Thursday, January 29, ahead of upcoming municipal elections in the state.

Order Reiterated After Gram Panchayat Election Results

The renewed directive comes in the aftermath of the 2025 Gram Panchayat elections, where eight individuals belonging to communities omitted from the state BC list were elected as ward members. The government viewed these developments as a violation of reservation norms, prompting authorities to reinforce the earlier withdrawal orders.

Officials have now instructed all district collectors, election authorities and returning officers not to recognise candidates from the omitted communities as BCs during the electoral process.

Background of BC List Revision Post Bifurcation

Following the bifurcation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh in 2014, the state government adopted a revised Backward Classes list that included 112 castes. During this exercise, 26 communities and one synonym, Settibalija, were excluded from the BC list.

The current reiteration of the order is aimed at ensuring that the revised list continues to be implemented strictly, particularly during elections where reservation eligibility plays a crucial role.

Government Cites Earlier Withdrawal of Reddy Gandla Certificates

In a memo issued on Thursday, E Sridhar, Secretary to the Government, referred to an earlier decision taken in 2010. At that time, orders allowing the Reddy Gandla community to obtain BC-B Gandla caste certificates in Karimnagar, Adilabad, Warangal and Medak districts were withdrawn.

The memo stated that the present order reiterates this position to prevent what the government described as the exploitation of BC reservation benefits by members of the Reddy Gandla community.

According to a 2002 report of the National Commission for Backwards Classes, Reddy Gandla is a sub-caste of the Gandla community, traditionally associated with oil-pressing. Over time, however, the Reddy Gandlas evolved into a distinct group after shifting primarily to agriculture.