The Telangana High Court has issued an interim stay on Government Order No. 9 (GO No. 9), which provided 42% reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections. The court’s order also stays the notification for the elections, effectively pausing the local body election process in the state for around six weeks. The High Court has directed the government to submit a detailed counter within four weeks.
GO No. 9, issued by the Telangana government, allocated 42% reservations for BCs in addition to 15% for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 10% for Scheduled Tribes (STs). Several petitions challenged the BC reservation, arguing that the total reservations exceed the 50% limit set by Supreme Court guidelines. After extensive hearings, the High Court granted the stay, highlighting the legal complexity surrounding the reservation formula.
In response, the Telangana government is weighing its options. The administration, led by Minister Revanth Reddy, can either challenge the stay in the Supreme Court, implement the 42% BC reservations with a fresh election schedule, or comply with the High Court order and wait four weeks before proceeding. The government’s next steps will determine the timeline and conduct of local body elections across Telangana.