Cabinet clears differential BC quotas for rural and urban local bodies
The Andhra Pradesh cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Tuesday approved reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local self-government institutions, setting a 34% quota in Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) and 33.33% in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), an official release said.
The cabinet clarified that the existing reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) will remain unchanged. The decisions were taken during a routine cabinet meeting held at the secretariat.
Direct election of mayors and chairpersons
In a move that alters the electoral mechanism for municipal leadership, the cabinet approved introduction of direct elections for urban local bodies. Under the new arrangement, mayors and chairpersons of municipal corporations, municipalities and nagar panchayats will be elected directly by the voters rather than by elected councillors.
Officials said the cabinet viewed the change as a measure to strengthen accountability and expedite decision-making at the city level. The release also linked these changes to efforts to ensure timely receipt and utilisation of funds from the central government by local bodies.
Increase in Zilla Parishads to align with district reorganisation
The cabinet approved increasing the number of Zilla Parishads in the state from 13 to 28. The government will prepare a detailed plan to establish the additional Zilla Parishads in accordance with the ongoing reorganisation of districts within Andhra Pradesh, the release added.
Officials said the reorganisation exercise will determine boundaries, jurisdiction and administrative arrangements for the new zilla-level bodies. No timeline or specific district-wise allocation was announced in the release.
- BC reservation: 34% in Rural Local Bodies; 33.33% in Urban Local Bodies.
- SC/ST reservations: No change; continue as before.
- Electoral reform: Mayors and chairpersons of municipal bodies to be elected directly by voters.
- Local administration: Zilla Parishads to be increased from 13 to 28; detailed plan to follow.
Possible implications and next steps
Administration of the new quota percentages and the shift to direct mayoral elections will require amendments to existing laws and electoral notifications by state authorities. The cabinet said a detailed roadmap will be prepared for establishing the additional Zilla Parishads, aligning them with district reorganisation; however, the release did not specify draft bills, exact timelines or the mechanism for implementation.
Observers note that changing reservation percentages between rural and urban local bodies may affect candidate selection, party strategies and local power balances. Direct election of mayors transfers the mandate from councillors to the electorate, which could raise the profile of mayoral contests and affect inter-tier relations between municipal executives and councillors.
| Measure | Decision |
|---|---|
| BC reservation (RLBs) | 34% |
| BC reservation (ULBs) | 33.33% |
| SC/ST reservation | No change |
| Mayors & chairpersons | Direct elections by voters |
| Zilla Parishads | Increase from 13 to 28 |
Government rationale and funding link
The cabinet release said the measures aim to "expedite the local body election process and ensure local bodies can receive funds allocated from the central government". By settling reservation formulas and electoral arrangements, the state expects to clear administrative hurdles that can delay disbursal and utilisation of central grants to panchayats and municipalities.
Details on how the state will reconcile the new BC quotas with existing statutory reservations, or whether the changes will prompt legal challenges, were not provided in the release. The cabinet did not announce any immediate scheduling of elections or list of consequential legislative amendments.
All decisions were taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the release said.
