Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Thursday, January 29, reiterated orders that withdrew the backward reservation from 26 communities, including the Reddy Gandla community.
The action comes after eight people belonging to castes omitted in the state BC list were elected as ward members in the 2025 Gram Panchayat elections.
In 2014, after bifurcation from Andhra Pradesh, the Telangana government had adopted 112 castes as BCs with the omission of 26 communities and 1 synonym (Settibalija).
In view of the upcoming municipal elections in the state, the government has instructed all concerned district collectors, election authorities and returning officers not to consider candidates belonging to these omitted communities as BC.
In a memo issued on Thursday, E Sridhar, secretary to the government, said that in 2010, the government had withdrawn orders that allowed Reddy Gandla community to get caste certificates as BC-B Gandla in Karimnagar, Adilabad, Warangal and Medak.
He said the same is being reiterated in the present order to prevent exploitation of the BC Reservations by 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, which was traditionally involved in oil-pressing. However, over the years, the Reddy Gandlas evolved into a distinct community as they moved into agriculture.
