The Telangana High Court has imposed a stay on GO No. 9, which allowed 42% BC reservations in local body elections. The court issued an interim order halting its implementation and directed the government to submit a counter affidavit within four weeks.
The next hearing is scheduled to take place after six weeks. Over the past two days, detailed arguments were presented by both sides in court. Advocate General Sudershan Reddy represented the government.
Reddy stated that the Telangana Cabinet had passed a unanimous resolution supporting enhanced BC reservations. He explained that the caste census, conducted by the ruling Telangana Congress, was the first of its kind since Independence and involved a door-to-door survey.
According to the government’s findings, BCs constitute 57.6% of the population, leading the cabinet to recommend 42% reservations for them in local body elections. Reddy said the decision was based on evidence of political backwardness among BCs.
Counsel Ravi Varma, appearing for the petitioners, argued that the 50% ceiling on reservations is not explicitly stated in the Constitution. He pointed out that SCs, STs, and BCs together form 85% of the population, receiving 67% of total reservations, while the remaining 15% population gets 33% open quota.
After hearing both sides, the High Court issued an interim stay on GO No. 9, temporarily halting its implementation.
