The Telangana government has decided to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court on Monday (October 13) challenging the High Court’s recent decision to stay the implementation of 42% reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections.
Minister for Backward Classes Welfare Ponnam Prabhakar along with Minister for Sports Vakati Srihari, and TPCC president and MLC Mahesh Kumar Goud are scheduled to go to New Delhi to coordinate with legal experts and finalise the petition.
Earlier, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and senior ministers held detailed consultations with senior Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, after which the government decided to move the Apex Court seeking a favorable verdict to go ahead with the enhanced quota.
The government is confident that it has complied with all the conditions laid down by the Supreme Court in earlier judgments concerning reservations for BCs in local bodies. Officials pointed out that a Dedicated Commission was constituted and a comprehensive caste survey was conducted to study the social, educational, and economic conditions of BCs, and scientifically to determine their population.
“When all the required conditions have been fulfilled, we are hopeful of getting a positive sign from the Supreme Court,” a senior Minister said, reflecting the government’s confidence. Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed petitioners opposing the government’s order to approach the High Court first, allowing the possibility of the top court’s intervention later if necessary.
Though the government is confident of getting a go ahead from the Supreme Court, the big question is what if its contention is dismissed? In that case, the only option for the Revanth Reddy government is to allocate 42% of the party’s tickets to BCs in local body elections and mount moral pressure on other political parties.
However, a section of the Congress BC leaders are opposing this as they want the credit of 42% reservations should go to the Congress party, and it should delay the elections till the reservation issue is settled.
The Division Bench of the Telangana High Court, comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin clarified that there was no stay on the process of elections to local bodies but only the GO related to enhanced reservation.
Published – October 12, 2025 08:52 pm IST
