New Delhi – The Supreme Court halted its review of a Telangana government order that reserves 42 percent of seats in local body elections for Backward Classes (BCs). The court’s decision kept in place the Telangana High Court’s earlier stay on the order while it continues to consider the challenge on its merits.
Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said the High Court should keep hearing petitions that contest the BC quota, without letting the state government’s Special Leave Petition influence the case. The bench cleared the way for the High Court to proceed with its own schedule, which includes hearing three petitions on October 8.
Earlier, on October 9, the Telangana High Court had paused the operation of the order and also stopped the announcement of local body elections until further notice. A separate bench, led by Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, postponed the matter for another six weeks and told the state government and the State Election Commission to file detailed counter‑affidavits within four weeks.
The challengers argue that the 42 percent BC reservation violates the Supreme Court’s 1992 Indra Sawhney decision, which caps combined reservations at 50 percent. With Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) already allotted 15 percent and 10 percent respectively, the total reservation would exceed 67 percent. In response, Advocate General A. Sudarshan Reddy said the Telangana government already amended Section 285‑A of the Panchayati Raj Act to increase BC reservations.
Last week, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition that sought to overturn the state’s decision to raise BC reservations in local bodies. The court questioned the petitioners’ choice to file a writ before the top court, noting that the High Court was set to hear similar petitions.
As the Supreme Court’s stay remains in effect, the Telangana High Court will continue its proceedings, and the state must now provide the requested affidavits. The outcome will shape how reservation policy is applied in local government elections across Telangana.
Source: ianslive
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