Telangana govt likely to approach Supreme Court over BC quota suspension

The Telangana Congress government is likely to approach the Supreme Court after the High Court stayed a Government Order providing 42 per cent reservation to Backward Classes in local bodies. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy discussed legal options with party leaders and senior counsel.

Hyderabad: The Congress government in Telangana is likely to approach the Supreme Court against the High Court’s interim stay on a Government Order (GO) providing 42 per cent reservation to Backward Classes (BCs) in local bodies.

In the wake of the High Court issuing the interim stay on the GO, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday discussed the next course of action with his cabinet colleagues, AICC in-charge of party affairs in Telangana Meenakshi Natarajan, and Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

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Congress sources said on Saturday that the government is keen on ensuring 42 per cent quota to BCs and would soon move the Supreme Court for the implementation of the GO.

The High Court on October 9 issued an interim stay on providing 42 per cent BC reservation in local bodies.

Following the court’s order, the Telangana State Election Commission on the same day announced that the poll notification issued on September 29 for rural local body polls and further activities were being suspended until further notice.

Fulfilling an election promise, the Congress government on September 26 issued an order to provide 42 per cent reservation to BCs in local bodies.

The GO followed two Bills passed by the State Legislature earlier this year to enhance BC reservation to 42 per cent in education, employment, and local bodies.

The Bills were forwarded to the Governor and are currently awaiting Presidential assent.

Chief Minister Reddy on August 6 led a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding Presidential assent for the BC reservation Bills and alleging that the BJP-led Central government was stalling them as it was “anti-OBC.”

The ruling Congress had promised before the 2023 Assembly polls to provide 42 per cent reservation to BCs.