Telangana Assembly Passes Bills For 42% Backward Classes Quota In Local Bodies

The Telangana Assembly passed two Bills to provide 42 per cent reservation to Backward Classes (BCs) in the urban and local bodies.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said the Telangana Municipalities and Panchayat Raj Amendment Bills were moved due to the continued pendency of two previously passed bills and a subsequent ordinance with the President of India.

This legislative action comes as the state faces a Telangana High Court deadline to hold local elections by September 30.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, Mr Reddy launched a sharp attack on the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), accusing them of deliberately creating obstacles and spreading "false information" to stall the government's efforts on a crucial social justice issue. He stated that the new bill aims to achieve what the stalled ordinance was intended to do - lift the 50 per cent reservation ceiling, which is a key barrier to implementing the 42 per cent reservation for BCs.

"The law brought by (then CM) K Chandrashekar Rao in 2018 has now become an obstacle," the Chief Minister said, referring to the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act. He explained that his government had already passed two separate bills-one for reservations in education and jobs and another for local bodies-and sent them to the Governor. The Governor, he lamented, did not approve them and instead forwarded them to the President, where they have been stalled for five months.

With the High Court mandating local elections by September 30, and the previous bills languishing, the government issued an ordinance to remove the 50 per cent reservation limit. Mr Reddy, however, accused the opposition of "lobbying behind the scenes" and influencing the Governor to also send this ordinance to the President, effectively delaying the process further. This chain of events has compelled the government to now seek Assembly approval for a new bill that mirrors the ordinance's objective.

The Chief Minister asserted that the government's commitment to the 42 per cent reservation is unwavering, detailing the extensive groundwork that has already been completed. He highlighted the formation of a "Dedication Commission" and a comprehensive, 365-day caste survey, from February 4, 2024, to February 4, 2025, which was done to ensure the reservation stands up to legal scrutiny.

Mr Reddy directly addressed BRS leader Gangula Kamalakar, accusing his party leaders of being filled with "sorrow, pain, and poison" over the reservation issue. He also criticised the BRS for what he called a lack of support on the national stage, noting that while his government's delegation was denied a meeting with the Prime Minister, BRS Rajya Sabha members did not even show up to a protest in Delhi that was supported by nearly 100 MPs from other states.

"This means their party leader is not ready to give 42 per cent reservation to BCs, and they lack sincerity," he said. He added that the government would celebrate February 4 as 'Social Justice Day' to highlight their commitment to the cause and enlighten the opposition. He warned that if the Opposition did not stop its obstructive behavior, the public, which has already punished them, would not leave them with any political standing.