Reddy Gandla community, 26 other castes barred from BC status ahead of Telangana local body polls

Hyderabad: In a major move to protect the integrity of Backward Class (BC) reservations, the Government of Telangana has issued two stringent memos targeting the wrongful use of caste certificates.

The directives, issued by Secretary to Government E Sridhar, explicitly bar members of the Reddy Gandla community and 26 other omitted castes from claiming BC status in the upcoming local body elections.

What is the order about?

Here are the key highlights of the government’s directive:

- Reddy Gandla Ban: Authorities have been ordered to stop issuing BC-B certificates to the Reddy Gandla community, reversing a decade-old instruction that allowed the practice in four specific districts.

- Election Vigilance: Returning Officers have been instructed to disqualify candidates from 26 omitted castes who attempt to contest seats reserved for BCs.

- Previous Lapses: The government revealed that at least eight ineligible individuals successfully won Ward Member seats in the 2025 Gram Panchayat elections by using invalid BC status.

The memos (No. 206 and 207) come as a response to a recent report from the Telangana Commission for Backward Classes, which flagged the ‘exploitation’ of reservations by groups that do not meet the state’s legal criteria for backwardness.

Why were these memos issued?

The issuance of these memos is the culmination of a decade-long legal and social debate following the formation of Telangana in 2014.

1. The Reddy Gandla Controversy

Historically, the ‘Gandla’ (oil pressers) community is recognised as a Backward Class (BC-B). However, the ‘Reddy Gandla’ group is a distinct sub-sect.

The Conflict: While they share an ancestral profession with the Gandlas, the ‘Reddy’ suffix often creates confusion or is used to claim status that the state argues they do not legally possess.

The Reversal: In 2010, the undivided Andhra Pradesh government allowed Collectors in Karimnagar, Adilabad, Warangal and Medak to issue BC certificates to Reddy Gandlas. This new memo (No. 207) officially ‘reiterates’ that this practice is withdrawn, effectively labelling the 2010 order as a mistake that facilitated exploitation.

2. The Omission of 26 Castes (GO 3)

When Telangana was formed, the State government conducted a review of the BC list inherited from undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The government found that 26 castes (including groups like Kalinga, Toorpu Kapu and Gavara) were predominantly located in the Andhra region and had no significant indigenous presence in Telangana.

Following a legal battle, these castes were removed from the Telangana BC list via GO 3 in 2014. Though challenged, the Hyderabad High Court upheld this deletion in 2016, ruling that the state has the right to define its own list of backward classes based on local demographics.

3. The 2025 ‘Election Breach’

The immediate ‘trigger’ for Memo No. 206 was a breakdown in administrative vetting during the 2025 Gram Panchayat elections.

Despite the 2014 omission, eight individuals from these ‘deleted’ castes managed to obtain certificates and win reserved seats. To prevent this from recurring in the much larger GHMC (Hyderabad) Municipality and Zilla Parishad elections, the government is now mandating a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach for Returning Officers.

The government’s stance is clear: with the High Court having already stayed attempts to increase BC reservations to 42 per cent, the state must ensure that the existing 25 per cent quota is strictly reserved for those who are legally eligible.