Archive · 1 Oct 2026
Andhra High Court Strikes Down Naidu’s 34% Local Poll Quota
The Andhra Pradesh government wanted to reserve some local election seats for Backward Classes.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the plan would correct an injustice and fulfill an election promise.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court cancelled two orders that created the reservation.
The court said the plan went against Supreme Court guidance that total reservations should not exceed 50 percent.
The court also told officials to start preparing for local elections within six weeks.
Naidu’s government said it would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court.
The government had announced a 34 percent quota for rural local bodies.
It had announced a 33.33 percent quota for urban local bodies.
The court’s ruling is a setback for the coalition government.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court struck down two orders granting Backward Classes a 34% reservation in local body elections.
The court said the quota breached the Supreme Court’s 50% ceiling on total reservations in local bodies.
The court directed the state government and State Election Commission to begin the election process within six weeks.
The TDP-led NDA government decided to challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court, following Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s instructions.
Naidu had announced 34% reservation for rural local bodies and 33.33% for urban local bodies as a major 2024 election promise.
- Who
- The Andhra Pradesh High Court, the Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP-NDA government, the State Election Commission, and Backward Classes.
- What
- The High Court struck down two government orders providing reservation for Backward Classes in local body elections.
- When
- The ruling was issued on a Thursday; the articles do not provide a specific date. Naidu announced the quota on August 18.
- Where
- Andhra Pradesh local body elections, including gram panchayats and municipalities.
- Why
- The court found that the reservation breached the Supreme Court’s guideline that total reservations should not exceed 50 percent.
High Court’s Legal View
Government’s Reservation View
Reservation ceiling
High Court’s Legal View
The High Court held that the 34% Backward Classes quota breached the 50% ceiling on total reservations, citing Supreme Court guidelines.
Government’s Reservation View
The Naidu government presented the quota as a measure of social justice and as a way to correct injustice affecting Backward Classes.
Policy status
High Court’s Legal View
The court set aside the two government orders that established the reservation.
Government’s Reservation View
The government decided to challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court and defended the quota as a major 2024 election promise.
Local elections
High Court’s Legal View
The court directed the state government and State Election Commission to begin the election process within six weeks.
Government’s Reservation View
The government had sought to implement the announced quotas in rural and urban local body elections.
- Rural reservation
- 34% for Backward Classes in rural local bodies
- Urban reservation
- 33.33% for Backward Classes in urban local bodies
- Court ruling
- Two government orders providing the quota were struck down
- Legal basis
- The court cited the Supreme Court’s 50% ceiling on total reservations
- Election direction
- The government and State Election Commission must begin the election process within six weeks
- Government response
- The TDP-led NDA government decided to challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court
- Election promise
- The quota was presented as fulfilling a 2024 promise to increase BC reservation from 20% to 34%
