The High Court on Monday instructed the State government to place before it the socio-economic survey report presented by Telangana State Backward Classes Commission.
Hearing a batch of writ petitions challenging the State government’s action of reducing reservations for BCs from 34% to 22% in rural local bodies, the HC sought to know from the State government why no counter affidavits were filed in the pleas so far. A bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B.Vijaysen Reddy instructed Additional Advocate General J. Ramchandra Rao to file an additional affidavit within two days in response to the two petitions.
Presenting contentions, the petitioner’s counsel D.K. Jaiswal said reservations for BCs in local bodies were finalised based on 2011 census. In 2014, Telangana government conducted Samagra Kutumba Survey, gathering details of all communities in different parts of the State. Though it was said that survey indicated that BCs constituted 61% of the State population, the government officially did not release the findings or contents of the survey, he said.
The AAG contended that State government finalised reservations based on the report given by BC Commission only. The bench asked for the report of the BC Commission. The AAG replied the report was not presented before the court. He sought 10 days of time to file the report along with the additional affidavit. The petitions were posted to April 19 for next hearing.
