Hyderabad HC stays excess reservations in local body elections

The Hyderabad High Court on Monday stayed the GO issued by Telangana government providing reservation to SC, ST and BC in excess of 50 percent in local body elections.

The two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice Ramesh Ranganathan passed the order on a petition filed by V Swapna Reddy.

With the Counsel for the petitioner submitting to the court that the reservation granted in excess of 50 percent was against the law laid down by Supreme Court, the bench found that there was a cap of 50 percent on the total reservation.

Stating that the bench was bound by the SC order, Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan said that Telangana cannot proceed with by-elections on a percentage above the permitted 50 percent, further clarifying that the order won’t apply to STs in schedule areas.