SC rejects fresh plea; Telangana BC reservation continues for polls
Hyderabad: The Supreme Court dismissed a petition against the Telangana BC reservation, giving the Revanth Reddy government breathing room ahead of local body polls. The bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta asked why the matter was brought to Delhi when the High Court was already seized of a related case. The counsel replied that the High Court had declined interim stay. The court observed that a refusal of stay cannot be the reason to skip the forum and rejected the plea.
Telangana BC reservation to guide five-phase schedule announced by SEC
On September 26, the state issued GO No. 9, notifying 42% reservation for BCs in local bodies as a social justice measure. Following the GO, the Panchayat Raj Department released reservation notifications. The State Election Commission then announced the election timetable: ZPTC and MPTC polls will occur in two phases, while Gram Panchayat elections will be held in three phases, totaling five phases from October 9 to November 11.
Two parallel legal tracks exist. First, Madhava Reddy has challenged the policy before the High Court, arguing that the state should not create a new 42% BC block without examining earlier reservations. The High Court has adjourned the matter to October 8. Second, Vanga Gopala Reddy approached the Supreme Court, claiming the combined quota would breach the 50% ceiling, reaching around 67%. Today, the Supreme Court declined to step in, citing the pending High Court proceedings.
The outcome preserves the election schedule and the reservation matrix for now. Therefore, administrators can proceed with preparatory work, including ward-wise lists, ballot formats, and training. However, stakeholders await the High Court’s hearing, which could still shape the final contours.
Parties welcomed clarity on timelines. Yet they also signalled that debate on the legal architecture of reservations will continue in court. Meanwhile, the Election Commission will focus on nominations, scrutiny, and MCC compliance across districts.
Bottom line: the Telangana BC reservation remains the operative framework as of today, while substantive questions shift back to the High Court.
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