The Supreme Court on Thursday delivered a major setback to the Telangana government by dismissing its petition on increasing Backward Classes (BC) reservations in the state to 42 per cent in local body elections. A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta heard the matter.

The Telangana government had challenged a High Court stay on GO No. 9, which sought to increase BC reservations.

At the hearing, Justice Nath asked Telangana government lawyer Abhishek Singvi why the BC reservation was not implemented before the elections were notified. Singhvi replied that the Governor had kept the Bill pending, and it had become law based on “deemed assent,” citing the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Tamil Nadu Governor case. He argued that a stay had been obtained without chall

See Full Page