Telangana government finalises ward and mayoral reservations across municipalities and corporations, setting the stage for urban local body elections.

With municipal polls on the horizon, the Telangana government has completed the reservation framework for urban local bodies, covering 121 municipalities and 10 municipal corporations. The Municipal Administration Department issued a formal notification detailing reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Backward Classes (BCs) and women.

Officials said the allocation follows the 2011 Census for SC and ST categories, while BC reservations are based on the recommendations of a Dedicated Commission. Among the 10 mayoral posts, four have been earmarked for women, with one post each reserved for SCs and STs. Three mayor positions have gone to BCs, including one for a BC woman, while one post remains unreserved.

In the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, reservation has been finalised for all 300 wards, following the recent merger of 27 urban local bodies. Of these, 122 wards are reserved for BCs, including 61 for BC women, while 76 seats are reserved exclusively for women. SCs and STs together account for 28 reserved wards, with a substantial share allocated to women. The remaining 74 wards fall under the unreserved category, resulting in 50 percent representation for women in the expanded GHMC.

Reservations have also been notified for other major corporations, including Khammam, Warangal, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Ramagundam and Mahabubnagar, among others. At the municipal level, 31 of the 121 chairperson posts have been reserved for women, with BCs receiving the highest share overall.

Meanwhile, the Telangana State Election Commission has published voter lists for 118 municipalities and five corporations, covering 52.43 lakh voters. Electoral rolls for the remaining urban bodies, including GHMC, are yet to be released. Municipal elections are expected next month, with voter mapping underway where terms ended in July 2025.

Finalising reservations removes a key procedural hurdle ahead of urban polls and offers clarity to political parties preparing candidate lists. The strong emphasis on women’s representation could reshape local leadership dynamics, especially in large civic bodies like GHMC. For aspirants, early clarity on reserved categories allows more focused groundwork at the ward level rather than last-minute adjustments.