Hyderabad: The spotlight on political and legal implications of Telangana’s decision to implement a 42 per cent reservation for the Backward Classes (BCs) in the elections to local bodies has now shifted to the national capital, with the Supreme Court preparing to hear on Monday a petition challenging the move. The state government’s bold step, formalised through Government Order (G.O. No. 9) on September 26, has ignited a constitutional debate over the permissible limits of affirmative action. Vanga Gopal Reddy, a resident of Sircilla, filed the petition against the BC quota in the apex court.

At the heart of the controversy is the state’s reliance on the Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) survey, which found that BCs constitute 56.33 per cent of Telan

See Full Page