Hyderabad: A brief but pointed hearing in the Supreme Court ended with a reprieve for the state: the justices dismissed a petition against the Telangana BC reservation, and sent the fight back to the High Court. On the bench, Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta asked why the petitioner came to Delhi when the High Court was already considering the issue. The lawyer said the High Court had declined interim relief. The bench shot back that such refusals do not open a shortcut to the Supreme Court, and it tossed the plea.
Telangana BC reservation subheading: GO 9’s 42% and a five-phase election plan
This battle began with GO No. 9 on September 26, when the Revanth Reddy government announced 42% reservation for BCs in local bodies as social justice. Panchayat Raj followed with reservation notifications. The State Election Commission then rolled out a five-phase plan: ZPTC and MPTC in two phases; Gram Panchayats in three; voting stretches from October 9 to November 11.
Meanwhile in the High Court, Madhava Reddy questioned the new 42% BC block without first unspooling older reservation layers. The case is listed for October 8. In the Supreme Court, Vanga Gopala Reddy argued that overall reservation in local bodies should not cross 50%, and that a 42% BC slice would push the total to 67%, allegedly breaching earlier apex court rulings. The Supreme Court’s message today: let the High Court hear it first.
For administrators, the effect is immediate: the reservation matrix under GO 9 stands, and the election train keeps moving.
Next, the process shifts to nuts and bolts—notifications, nominations, and scrutiny—unless a fresh order from the High Court arrives. Therefore, all eyes turn to October 8, when the High Court resumes hearing and could shape the path ahead.
Until then, Telangana BC reservation remains the framework. The Supreme Court has cleared the runway; the High Court will decide how far the flight goes.
