Andhra Pradesh HC Strikes Down 34% BC Quota in Local Body Polls

The court set aside two government orders that provided for the enhanced BC quota. The ruling comes as a setback to the TDP-led NDA government, which had announced the 34 per cent reservation as part of its 2024 election commitments.

Following the verdict, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to approach the Supreme Court and challenge the High Court's decision.

Naidu had announced the 34 per cent BC reservation on August 18. He had said BC communities would receive 34 per cent reservation in rural local bodies, while the quota in urban local bodies would be 33.33 per cent.

The Chief Minister had described the move as fulfilment of the NDA's 2024 election promise to raise BC reservation in local bodies from 20 per cent to 34 per cent.

While hearing a batch of petitions concerning gram panchayat and municipal elections, the High Court also directed the state government and State Election Commission to initiate the process for holding local body elections within six weeks.

The court rejected petitions seeking directions to the State Election Commission to defer the local body elections until completion of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

The High Court's ruling on the reservation issue is expected to have implications for the schedule and conduct of the upcoming local body elections, with the state government now preparing to seek relief from the Supreme Court.