Overview

• Telangana issued GO MS No. 9 on September 26 to reserve 42% of seats and posts in rural and urban local bodies for Backward Classes.
• The order cites constitutional provisions and empirical backing from the SEEEPC caste survey and a dedicated commission that found BCs comprise about 56.33% of the population.
• A division bench of the Telangana High Court heard a House motion challenge on September 27, kept the petitions alive, and fixed further hearing for October 8.
• Petitioners argue the move breaches the Supreme Court’s 50% cap on total reservations, pushing combined quotas to roughly 67%.
• The bench questioned issuing the GO while the amendment awaits gubernatorial/Presidential assent, even as it said elections may proceed as per law and suggested seeking an extension to the earlier September 30 poll deadline.