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. 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. The Reddy Gandla ControversyHistorically, the ‘Gandla’ (oil pressers) community is recognised as a Backward Class (BC-B). However, the ‘Reddy Gandla’ group is a distinct sub-sect. Following a legal battle, these castes were removed from the Telangana BC list via GO 3 in 2014.