Telangana High Court Halts BC Reservation Implementation, Local Body Elections Temporarily Suspended
Telangana High Court on Thursday issued an interim stay on the implementation of Government Order MS No. 9
Hyderabad: In a major development, the Telangana High Court on Thursday issued an interim stay on Government Order (GO) MS No. 9, which had allocated 42 percent reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in the upcoming local body elections. The division bench, headed by Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin, directed the state government to submit a counter-affidavit within four weeks, while granting petitioners an additional two weeks to file their responses. The next hearing has been scheduled six weeks from now.
The interim order effectively puts a hold on the implementation of the BC reservation and has temporarily suspended the election notification issued by the State Election Commission (SEC) for MPTC and ZPTC seats, introducing uncertainty into the electoral process.
Also Read: Telangana bus fare hike: BRS leaders placed under house arrest ahead of protest
The case follows petitions filed challenging the validity of GO 9, with petitioners arguing that the 42 percent quota exceeds the constitutional limit of 50 percent total reservation and lacks sufficient empirical data to justify such an increase. Conversely, the state government, represented by Advocate General A. Sudarshan Reddy, argued that the reservation is based on comprehensive census data carried out in Telangana, which shows BCs constitute 57 percent of the state’s population. Reddy emphasized that the government’s decision was backed by a unanimous resolution in the Telangana Assembly and aligns with legal provisions.
During two days of detailed hearings, the court examined arguments from both sides, including interventions by supporters of BC reservation who filed counter-petitions defending the quota. The High Court’s order leaves the future of the elections hanging in balance until a final verdict is issued.
Political circles in Telangana are closely monitoring the situation, as the interim stay has created uncertainty for parties preparing for local body polls. The BC community and other stakeholders now await clarity on the reservation framework and the resumption of the electoral process, which will be determined following the High Court’s next hearing.
