AP Pursuing 34% BC Quota Case In Supreme Court, Asserts Ram Mohan Naidu
The AP High Court had cancelled the 34 per cent reservation announced for BCs: Reports
VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh government will pursue in the Supreme Court its decision to ensure 34 per cent reservation for backward classes (BCs) in local civic bodies, Civil Aviation minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu underlined on Tuesday.
Addressing a joint press conference with state ministers Kinjarapu Atchannaidu, Kolusu Parthasarathi and Anagani Satya Prasad at the AP Bhavan in New Delhi, Ram Mohan Naidu said the government has empirical data to overcome the 50 per cent ceiling on reservations.
The AP High Court had cancelled the 34 per cent reservation announced for BCs on grounds that it exceeds the 50 per cent ceiling on overall reservations stipulated by the Supreme Court for socially and educationally backward classes.
The union minister said the state government had studied the High Court judgment in detail and is proceeding based on the court rulings. He alleged that political and personal hostility towards BCs is being used by some to deny backward classes their rightful opportunities.
“Ensuring adequate political and social representation for BCs remains a key objective of the state government,” Ram Mohan Naidu emphasised.
He disclosed that once the 34 per cent quota is implemented, nearly 16,800 posts in local bodies would become available to BC candidates. This would provide opportunities for BC representatives to progress from sarpanch, MPTC, and ZPTC members to councillors and mayors, and eventually enter the state legislatures and the parliament.
Agriculture minister Atchannaidu said a three-member ministerial team has arrived in Delhi to discuss the Supreme Court orders and formulate the next course of legal action. The team met senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Devadatt Kamat and discussed the issue, taking into account legal experts’ advice, Supreme Court judgments, and reports of various commissions.
Atchannaidu recalled that N.T. Rama Rao had introduced 20 per cent reservation for BCs in local bodies in 1987. This had been increased to 34 per cent by N. Chandrababu Naidu in 1995. He alleged that the previous YSRC government reduced the reservation for BCs to 24 per cent without amending the law or approaching the Supreme Court.
Information minister Parthasarathi said the government’s objective is social justice and political empowerment of weaker sections. It is committed to securing adequate representation for BCs in local bodies under Articles 243D and 243T of the Constitution.
Revenue minister Satya Prasad pointed out that the AP Chief Minister has visited Delhi several times in this regard.
Those present included AP Bhavan special commissioner Arja Srikanth.
