Kurnool: The Supreme Court has stayed the AP government’s rule of reservation for local body elections in the state.
The stay is likely to have a bearing on the poll notification on January 17, and the poll dates previously submitted to the High Court by the government of Andhra Pradesh.
The apex court was dealing with a petition filed by a Kurnool resident challenging the quantum of reservation fixed by the state government.
While granting the state, the apex court directed the High Court to dispose of a pending petition filed before it by the same petitioner.
The High Court had earlier refused to stay the polls or the notification though the petitioner had argued that the reservation of 59 per cent fixed by the state government went against earlier judgments of the apex court capping reservation at 50 per cent.
Maintaining that the case should be disposed of as per law but expeditiously, the Supreme Court informed the High Court that the petitioner would approach it on January 20. Till then, GO 176 issued by the government fixing reservation for the elections would be stayed for four weeks.
The development is likely to have reflection on the polls. The previous schedule submitted to the court by the state government would face uncertainty.
