Telangana's BC quota dilemma: Will Governor approve ordinance amid legal hurdles?
The Supreme Court's precedent on reservation limit too casts a shadow over the issue, regardless of the supporting empirical data and the Dedicated Commission's recommendations to enhance reservations.
The apprehension of the government comes in the wake of Jishnu Dev Varma sending two Bills — the Telangana Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Rural and Urban Local Bodies) Bill 2025, and the Telangana Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in the Services Under the State) Bill, 2025 which were passed in the State Legislature to enhance BC reservations to 42% — to President Droupadi Murmu.
Draft Bill on amendment to Telangana PR Act
According to sources, the Law department has prepared a draft Bill to promulgate an ordinance to amend the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018, which would be presented during the Cabinet meeting on Thursday (July 10).
The amendment would be confined only to the provisions which fixed a cap on reservations for SC, ST and BC communities, sources added.
The Governor should prorogue the Fifth Session of the Third Telangana Legislative Assembly (Budget session) for the government to promulgate an ordinance. While there is a precedent set forth by the Supreme Court not to exceed the reservations by 50%, the state government is likely to present the outcome of the Socio Economic, Education, Employment, Political and Caste Survey to be the reasons to exceed that limit. Nevertheless, the legal and constitutional implications of exceeding the 50% threshold remain contentious.
Timing and legality of local body elections
Sources said that the Cabinet is also expected to deliberate on multiple scenarios, ranging from the President granting assent to the possibility of her withholding it. Either possibility carries significant consequences for the timing and legality of local body elections.
With the clock ticking towards the September deadline set by the HC, the coming days will be crucial in determining whether the government can navigate the legal complexities to implement its reservation agenda or if it will be forced into a political recalibration.
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