42% Backward Class quota in local body polls: Supreme Court dismisses Telangana's plea against HC order

The Supreme Court on Thursday (October 16, 2025) dismissed the Telangana Government’s plea challenging a High Court order which stayed a government order providing 42% reservation to Backward Classes in local bodies.

A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta dismissed the State’s plea against the October 9 order of the Telangana High Court.

The High Court had issued an interim stay against the government order.

The High Court, which was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the State Government’s order that increased the Backward Classes quota, had directed the state to file its reply in four weeks.

Some of the petitioners before the High Court challenged the September 26, 2025, government order, saying the 42% quota to Backward Classes raises total reservation in local bodies to 67%. It breaches the 50% ceiling on reservations laid down by the Court in its verdicts, they claimed.