1 hr ago
Supreme Court Rejects Andhra Pradesh Plea on BC Quota
Andhra Pradesh wanted more seats in local elections to be reserved for Backward Classes.
The state increased the BC share from 27% to 34%.
The state’s rules set a 34% share for rural local bodies and 33.33% for urban ones.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court cancelled the rules.
It said the combined reservations for several groups went above a 50% limit.
The state asked the Supreme Court to change that decision.
The Supreme Court dismissed the state’s petition and left the High Court ruling in place.
The election schedule was expected to be announced by the State Election Commission the following week.
The Supreme Court dismissed Andhra Pradesh’s Special Leave Petition seeking to restore higher Backward Classes reservations in local body elections.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court had struck down government notifications increasing the BC quota from 27% to 34%.
The state’s rules provided 34% BC reservation in rural local bodies and 33.33% in urban local bodies.
The High Court found that combined reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and BCs exceeded the 50% ceiling.
The State Election Commission was expected to announce the local-body election schedule by the following week.
- Who
- The Andhra Pradesh government and the Supreme Court; the dispute concerns Backward Classes reservations.
- What
- The Supreme Court dismissed the state’s petition seeking to restore higher BC reservations in local body elections.
- Where
- Andhra Pradesh, India.
- When
- The High Court ruling was issued on October 1, 2026; the Supreme Court dismissal is reported without a specific date.
- Why
- The High Court found that the combined SC, ST and BC reservations exceeded the 50% ceiling; it said further empirical justification was required for reservations beyond that limit.
State government
High Court ruling upheld
Higher BC reservation in local elections
State government
Andhra Pradesh sought to restore increased BC reservations, including a 34% quota in rural local bodies and 33.33% in urban local bodies.
High Court ruling upheld
The High Court struck down the notifications because combined SC, ST and BC reservations exceeded the 50% ceiling, and the Supreme Court declined to interfere.
Evidence for reservations above the ceiling
State government
The state challenged the ruling concerning its authority to provide political reservations and how its empirical material should be assessed.
High Court ruling upheld
The High Court said the state needed the kind of empirical exercise required by earlier Supreme Court judgments to justify reservations beyond 50%.
Key facts
- Court decision
- The Supreme Court dismissed Andhra Pradesh’s Special Leave Petition.
- High Court ruling
- On October 1, 2026, the Andhra Pradesh High Court set aside the notifications providing increased BC reservations.
- Previous BC reservation
- 27%.
- Rural local bodies
- The notification provided 34% BC reservation.
- Urban local bodies
- The notification provided 33.33% BC reservation.
- Reservation ceiling cited
- The High Court said combined reservations exceeded the 50% ceiling.
- Election schedule
- The State Election Commission was expected to release the schedule by the following week.
Sources
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