Telangana HC Mandates Empirical Survey for BC Reservations in Local Elections

The Telangana High Court directed the state to conduct an empirical survey within three months to recommend reservations for Backward Classes in local body elections. The directive aligns with the Supreme Court's stipulation that states must conduct contemporaneous inquiries before earmarking reservations. The court seeks a compliance report post-survey.

The Telangana High Court has mandated the state government to complete an empirical survey within three months, aimed at providing recommendations for Backward Classes (BC) reservations in local body elections.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Sreenivas Rao issued the orders in response to several petitions pressing for the implementation of BC reservations, including in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation polls. The bench referred to a Supreme Court direction that requires states to undertake a contemporaneous empirical inquiry to determine the specific quantum of reservations needed for each local body.

During the proceedings, the Advocate General assured compliance with the instructions detailed in paragraph 13 of the Supreme Court judgment in Vikas Kishanrao Gawali vs State of Maharashtra (2021) 6 SCC 73. The High Court has also asked for a compliance report post-survey. The petitions were brought forth by BC leaders such as Jajula Srinivas Goud, Yerra Satyanaryana, and Dasoju Sravan Kumar, who argued that the election notifications for local bodies should only be released post-survey. In 2021, the Telangana government empowered the BC Commission to conduct this empirical survey.

(With inputs from agencies.)