New Delhi, Oct 6: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a writ petition challenging the Telangana government’s order granting 42 per cent reservation to Backward Classes (BCs) in rural local bodies.
A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta dismissed the petition filed by Vanga Gopal Reddy, citing that the issue is already pending before the Telangana High Court. “Since the matter is sub judice in the High Court, we will not interfere,” the bench observed.
Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Siddharth Dave, and A.D.N. Rao, appearing for the state government, informed the court that two similar petitions were already under consideration in the High Court. The bench questioned the petitioner’s decision to approach the Supreme Court under Article 32 when the High Court had not granted a stay on the order.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who was present in the Supreme Court along with Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Vakiti Srihari, welcomed the decision. Speaking to the media outside the court, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring 42 per cent reservation for BCs in education, employment, and local governance.
“The state government has passed a Bill and issued a Government Order (GO) to implement BC reservations in local body elections. We will stand by it and fight for it,” Vikramarka said.
The Deputy CM and his team also met senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who represents Telangana in the Rajya Sabha, to discuss the legal strategy. They clarified that the GO was issued following Supreme Court guidelines — based on a comprehensive caste survey, empirical data collection, and the recommendations of a dedicated BC Commission.
The Telangana State Election Commission has already announced that rural local body elections will be held in five phases during October and November.
