Overview

• The government has filed a Special Leave Petition seeking to vacate the Telangana High Court’s interim stay on G.O. 9, which mandated 42% reservations for Backward Classes in municipalities and panchayats.
• In its petition, the state argues the Constitution sets no explicit 50% ceiling on reservations, cites Indira Sawhney for exceptions in special circumstances, and says the Vikas Gawali ‘triple test’ was met.
• A SEEEPC survey reported BCs constitute 56.33% of Telangana’s population, and a one‑man commission led by B. Venkateshwara Rao recommended fixing BC reservation at 42%.
• The legislature passed a BC reservations bill in March that was reserved for the President after the Governor’s referral, the Home Ministry sought clarifications in June, and the state says pending assent compelled issuance of G.O. 9.
• The proposed expansion would raise total reservations to about 67%, a point central to the High Court challenge, with local body polling scheduled for October 23 and 27 and the Chief Minister consulting senior counsel in Delhi.