Telangana High Court Dismisses Pleas Against 42% BC Reservation
The Telangana High Court on Thursday rejected a batch of petitions that had challenged the state government’s move to provide 42 percent reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections.
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Thursday rejected a batch of petitions that had challenged the state government’s move to provide 42 percent reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections.
Two separate petitions had been filed by Mallavva and Madhava Reddy, who argued that increasing the quota for BCs would push overall reservations in local bodies beyond the 50 percent cap set by the Supreme Court. They contended that such a move would be unfair to other communities and in violation of the Panchayat Raj Act.
During the hearing, the High Court bench expressed displeasure over the manner in which the petitions were filed. The judges questioned how a public interest litigation (PIL) could be based merely on newspaper reports, making it clear that under Supreme Court rules, media articles cannot be treated as evidence.
After examining the matter, the court dismissed both petitions, thereby allowing the government to proceed with its decision on BC reservations.
The ruling effectively clears a major legal hurdle for the state, which has been working to finalize 42 percent BC quota in local body elections—a move the Congress government says is aimed at ensuring social justice and political empowerment of backward communities.
