Telangana local body poll schedule an assault on BC rights: Dasoju Sravan

BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan criticised the Telangana government’s announcement of local body elections while the 42% BC reservation issue remains sub judice. He termed it 'administrative arbitrariness' and urged the State Election Commission to defer polls until the Supreme Court verdict on December 12

Hyderabad: BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan on Monday said the announcement of the election schedule for local bodies in the State, while the 42 per cent BC reservation issue remains sub judice amounts to an ‘open assault on BC constitutional rights’.

Calling it an act of ‘administrative arbitrariness’, Sravan pointed out that GO Ms No. 9, which provides 42 per cent reservation to Backward Classes in local bodies, was stayed by both the Telangana High Court and the Supreme Court. The apex court is scheduled to deliver its final verdict on December 12.

---

“Why this undue haste when the matter is pending before the highest court?” he questioned, terming the elections conducted on the basis of the alternative GO Ms No. 46 ‘legally fragile and untenable’.

Warning that any poll notification issued now would invite constitutional violation, he also raised serious doubts over the independence of the State Election Commission, accusing it of acting under political pressure. Highlighting alleged discrimination, Sravan noted that the SEC was relying on the 2011 Census data for SC/ST reservations while using 2024 survey figures for BCs. He further said that despite spending Rs 200 crore on the BC caste survey, the government had not released the official report.

“Conducting elections by ignoring the judicial process is not democracy, it is administrative tyranny,” Sravan declared, while urging the SEC to defer the election schedule until the Supreme Court pronounces its verdict on the crucial reservation issue.