The Andhra Pradesh High Court has struck down the government orders providing enhanced reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections. The court observed that the reservation structure breached the overall 50% ceiling and directed the state government and State Election Commission (SEC) to initiate the local-body election process within six weeks.
Reacting to the verdict, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that the Chandrababu Naidu-led coalition government had used the 34% BC reservation issue for political purposes. He said the government should have anticipated the legal challenges surrounding the reservation and demanded that Chandrababu Naidu apologise to the BC community.
Jagan Questions 34% BC Reservation Strategy
Jagan alleged that the government continued with the 34% BC reservation proposal despite previous Supreme Court rulings governing reservations in local bodies. He said the government had spent several weeks pursuing the issue through government orders even though questions had been raised about its legal validity.
The High Court, in its October 2026 ruling, held that the state lacked the required empirical material to justify aggregate reservations exceeding the 50% ceiling. The court also left open the possibility of the state revisiting BC reservations after carrying out the empirical exercise required under Supreme Court guidelines.
Jagan Calls for Constitutional and Legal Solution
Jagan said that if the state government is genuinely committed to providing 34% reservation to BCs, it should pursue a legally sustainable solution through the Centre.
He questioned what steps Chandrababu Naidu had taken with the NDA government at the Centre to secure a constitutional or legislative solution for BC political reservations.
According to Jagan, issuing government orders that may not withstand judicial scrutiny would not provide a permanent solution. He urged the state government to work with the Centre towards a legal framework for implementing the proposed BC quota.
Jagan Highlights YSRCP’s BC Welfare Measures
Jagan also highlighted measures taken during the previous YSRCP government for the political, social and economic empowerment of BCs, SCs, STs and minorities.
He said the YSRCP government introduced legislation in 2019 providing 50% reservation for SCs, STs, BCs and minorities in nominated posts and contract works. He also said 56 separate BC corporations were established to cover 139 BC communities.
Jagan questioned why the legislation, which he said remains with the present government, has not been implemented during the coalition government’s tenure.
Claim on BC Representation in Political Posts
Jagan further said the YSRCP government provided representation to BCs in the Rajya Sabha, Legislative Council and local bodies.
He claimed that four of the 11 Rajya Sabha positions and 28 of the 58 MLC positions during the YSRCP period were given to BC representatives. He also cited representation for BCs in positions including Zilla Parishad chairpersons, mayors, municipal chairpersons, mandal presidents and ZPTC posts.
Jagan Cites Welfare Schemes for BC Families
Jagan said BC families benefited from several welfare programmes implemented during the YSRCP government, including Amma Vodi, Vidya Deevena, Vasathi Deevena, Rythu Bharosa, Pension Kanuka, Cheyutha, Aasara, Nethanna Nestham, Matsyakara Bharosa, Vahana Mitra, Chedodu and Thodu.
He claimed that these schemes provided benefits worth around Rs 1.82 lakh crore to BC families.
What the High Court Verdict Means
The Andhra Pradesh High Court struck down GO 105 issued by the Panchayat Raj Department and GO 1065 issued by the Municipal Administration Department, which provided enhanced BC reservations in local bodies. The court said the combined reservations for SCs, STs and BCs exceeded the applicable 50% ceiling without the required empirical basis.
The court also directed the government to complete the BC census and collect data on the socio-economic and political status of BC communities before reconsidering the reservation structure.
Jagan has now called on Chandrababu Naidu to use his position as an NDA ally at the Centre to pursue a constitutional amendment or other legally sustainable mechanism for providing 34% political reservation to BCs.
