Hyderabad, June 24 -- The Telangana High Court has reserved its verdict regarding the conduct of local body elections, following repeated delays and mounting criticism from former village sarpanches and petitioners.

The controversy centres around the lack of timely elections after the expiry of the previous panchayat terms and the ongoing process of finalising reservations for various social categories, particularly Backward Classes (BCs).

Background and legal dispute

The tenure of Telangana's panchayats ended on January 31, 2024. According to the Constitution and the Panchayat Raj Act, elections must be held before the expiry of the term, or at the very least, within six months thereafter.

However, nearly 18 months have passed withou...