TL govt to move SC against order on quota in local body polls

The Telangana government today decided to appeal in the Supreme Court against the interim orders of Hyderabad High Court on the ceiling for reservations in the coming Panchayat Raj elections in the state.

"Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has announced that the interim orders of the High Court that reservations in the Panchayat Raj elections should not exceed 50 per cent will be appealed in the Supreme Court by the government," a release from the CM's office said.

Rao has decided that the state government would appeal to the Supreme Court that its "earlier permission to implement 61 per cent reservation in Telangana, including 34 per cent reservation to the backward classes," be reinstated, it said.

The Chief Minister asked the cabinet sub-committee on the issue to meet tomorrow and take up the necessary exercise to file a petition in the Apex Court, in consultation with the additional advocate general and all concerned officers, it said.

"The Chief Minister criticised that the Congress party filed the petition through its party sarpanch Swapna Reddy opposing the 34 per cent reservation for backward classes and thus obstructing reservation for them," the release said.

The state government is fully committed to provide 34 per cent reservation to Backward Classes and that the necessary legal battle would be fought to achieve it, Rao said.

The Hyderabad High Court had yesterday issued an interim order directing the Telangana government to ensure that reservation to OBCs and others in the coming local body polls is as per the overall 50 per cent quota fixed by the Supreme Court.