Andhra Pradesh HC sets aside 34 per-cent BC quota in local elections

The Andhra Pradesh High Court struck down two government orders providing 34 per cent reservation for BCs in local body polls, citing the 50 per cent ceiling on total reservations. The state government said it would challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday set aside the 34 per cent reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections, saying the quota breached the 50 per cent ceiling on total reservations.

The High Court struck down two government orders providing 34 per cent reservation to BCs, holding that the total reservation for all categories in local bodies should not exceed 50 per cent under Supreme Court guidelines.

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Acting swiftly after the High Court order, the TDP-led NDA government decided to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to immediately move the Supreme Court.

The High Court order comes after the state government had announced 34 per cent reservation for BCs in local body polls, one of the major promises made by the NDA in the 2024 elections.

Chief Minister Naidu on August 18 announced the 34 per cent quota for BCs in local body polls. He had told the Assembly that while BCs would get 34 per cent reservation in rural local bodies, they would have a 33.33 per cent quota in urban local bodies.

He had declared that with this move, the government was fulfilling its 2024 election promise of increasing BC reservation in local bodies from 20 per cent to 34 per cent.

The CM had claimed that the coalition was fulfilling its commitment to the welfare and development of BCs. A 34 per cent reservation signifies a share in decision-making power and reflects the NDA government’s commitment to social justice and fairness, he had said.

Meanwhile, the High Court also directed the state government and the State Election Commission to begin the process for local body elections within six weeks.

It pronounced the orders on a batch of writ petitions relating to gram panchayat and municipal elections.

The court also dismissed some petitions seeking a direction to the State Election Commission to conduct the local body elections after completion of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in the state.