Andhra Pradesh high court scraps government order on 59.85 per cent quota in local bodies

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh high court on Monday scrapped the AP government order providing 59.85% reservations in seats in local bodies for SCs, STs and Backward Class communities.
The HC directed the government to fix reservations not more than 50% and complete the exercise within one month. The state government is preparing to hold elections to panchayats, municipalities, zilla and mandal parishad councils soon.
B Pratap Reddy had moved the high court challenging the government decision. The HC heard the arguments of petitioner and the state government. The petitioner argued that providing 59.85% reservations is against the Supreme Court ruling. Advocate general argued that the state government can increase reservations in case of special conditions. He said that the population of the BCs has increased in the state when compared with the census in 2011. The high court bench lead by Chief Justice JK Maheswari and Ninala Jayasurya had reserved the judgment on February 6.
The HC said that there were no special situations in the state and hence the government should follow the Supreme Court ruling and fix reservations not more than 50 percent. The HC order will pose a big challenge to the State Election Commission which has made preparations to hold local body elections. Officials said that it will take at least one month for completing an exercise on reservations and elections will be held in April.
Opposition parties said the state government had bluffed the Backward Classes by issuing the order against the Supreme Court ruling. "The state government followed the footsteps of the Telangana government and issued an order fixing 59.85% reservations. The government is aware of the Supreme Court ruling and still, it increased the reservations to bluff Backward Castes," said TDP leader Bonda Umamaheswara Rao.