Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Thursday, January 29, directed the state government to file counter-affidavits within eight weeks on petitions challenging the increase of Backwards Classes (BC) reservations to 42 percent in local body elections.
The court clarified that its interim orders staying the implementation of Government Orders (GOs) 9, 41, and 42 would continue until further directions are issued.
A division bench of the Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin was hearing a batch of petitions filed by Buttengari Madhava Reddy and others questioning the legality of the government’s decision to enhance BC reservations in local self-governing institutions.
The bench also heard petitions filed by several Congress leaders seeking to be impleaded as respondents to present their arguments in the matter.
During the proceedings, the government argued that the issue had become infructuous since the local body elections had already been completed, and therefore the petitions did not warrant further consideration.
Petitioners oppose govt’s view
However, counsel for the petitioners strongly opposed this view, contending that the constitutional validity of the enhanced reservation policy still required judicial scrutiny.
After hearing both sides, the bench directed the government to submit its response within eight weeks and posted the matter for further hearing after ten weeks.
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