Telangana to issue ordinance to amend law to provide 42 pc quota for BCs in local body polls

    Hyderabad, Jul 10 (PTI) Telangana cabinet on Thursday decided to issue an ordinance facilitating 42 per cent reservation to Backward Classes in local body polls by amending an Act that was passed by the State Assembly in 2018, Revenue Minister P Srinivasa Reddy said.
    In a media briefing after the cabinet meeting here, he said the state government is committed to implement the reservation for BCs as promised by the Congress party earlier.
    "In order to implement the 42 per cent reservation for Backward Classes in local body elections, an ordinance will be issued to amend an Act passed by the Assembly in 2018," Reddy said.
    On June 25, the Telangana High Court directed the state government to hold elections for local bodies within three months.
    The minister further said Telangana Advocate General was invited for the cabinet meeting and sought his legal opinion on the issue of ordinance.
    Reddy said the State Assembly had already passed a bill providing 42 per cent reservation to BCs, and it was sent to the Centre for Presidential assent through the Governor. However, the bill did not see the light of day.
    The cabinet also agreed on a proposal to accord university status to two educational institutions, he added.
    The Telangana Legislative Assembly in March this year passed two bills to increase the reservation to backward classes to 42 per cent in educational institutions, employment and also elections to rural and urban local bodies.
    The government is committed to the 'BC Declaration' announced by the ruling Congress before the 2023 assembly polls which promised to increase BC quota to 42 per cent from 23 per cent in local bodies, besides giving 42 per cent reservation in government civil construction and maintenance contracts, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had earlier said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)