The Supreme Court of India on Monday, October 6, 2025, declined to entertain a petition challenging the Telangana government’s decision to enhance reservations for Backward Classes (BCs) in local bodies to 42%. The court directed the petitioner, Vanga Gopal Reddy, to approach the Telangana High Court for appropriate reliefs.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta questioned the necessity of filing the petition under Article 32 of the Constitution, given that similar petitions were scheduled for hearing in the Telangana High Court. Justice Nath remarked, “In similar circumstances, we have dismissed also,” indicating the court’s reluctance to entertain the plea at this stage.
The petition, filed through advocate Somiran Sharma, argued that the Telangana government’s order violated the 50% ceiling on total reservations established by the Supreme Court in the 1992 Mandal Commission case. The plea contended that with existing reservations for Scheduled Castes (15%) and Scheduled Tribes (10%), the total reservation would exceed 67%, breaching constitutional limits.
Additionally, the petition challenged the government’s reliance on a one-man commission’s report, which recommended the 42% quota based on the 2024 Telangana Social Educational Employment Economic Caste (SEEEPC) survey. The petitioner argued that the report was neither placed in the public domain nor debated in the legislature, and did not satisfy the rigorous empirical inquiry required by the Supreme Court’s “triple test” for OBC reservations in local bodies.
In response to the Supreme Court’s dismissal, Telangana Minister Ponnam Prabhakar emphasized that the government’s decision was backed by a detailed survey and cabinet approval. He noted that the matter remains pending with the President, and cases have been filed against the OBC reservation in both the High Court and the Supreme Court. The minister expressed confidence that justice would be served in both courts and that elections would proceed with the 42% reservation.
The Telangana High Court is scheduled to hear the matter on October 8, 2025. The outcome of this hearing will determine the future of the 42% OBC reservation in local body elections in the state.
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