Setback for Congress Govt in Telangana as Supreme Court dismisses plea on BC reservation

The Supreme Court dismissed Telangana government’s plea challenging the High Court’s stay on 42% Backward Class reservation in local body elections. The apex court directed elections to proceed without reservations and asked the High Court to decide the case on merits.

Hyderabad: In yet another major setback to the Congress government in Telangana, the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed its plea challenging the Telangana High Court’s interim stay on the implementation of 42 percent reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections. The State government has been asked to continue the elections without reservations.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta directed that the High Court decide the main case on merits, without being influenced by the apex court’s dismissal of the State’s appeal.

According to legal portal Live Law, Justice Nath questioned why the quota was not introduced before the poll notification. Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the State, said the Bill had been kept pending by the Governor and came into effect through deemed assent.

However, the bench was unconvinced, noting precedents that capped reservations at 50 per cent and emphasised the need to meet triple-test conditions before extending quotas in local bodies. Concluding the hearing, the court said, “You may continue your elections without reservations… dismissed.”