Telangana BC quota hike puts Revanth Reddy in a bind

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announced on October 18, 2025, that he will seek legal opinion before deciding on implementing a 42% quota for Backward Classes (BCs) in rural local body elections, following the Telangana High Court’s stay on the government’s order. The HC, responding to petitions from SC/ST leaders, argued the hike from 29% to 42% exceeds the 50% cap set by the Supreme Court in Indra Sawhney (1992), potentially violating constitutional limits. This comes after the government’s Supreme Court plea against the stay was dismissed, leaving elections in limbo and amplifying demands from BC communities for representation.
The controversy underscores a perennial challenge in Indian federalism: balancing social justice with judicial scrutiny. Revanth’s Congress government, fulfilling a 2023 manifesto promise, aimed to empower BCs, who constitute 50% of Telangana’s population but hold disproportionate power in urban polls. Critics, including the BJP, argue the quota hike risks fragmenting SC/ST shares and invites legal quagmires, as seen in similar cases in Bihar and Maharashtra. For Revanth, navigating this tests his coalition-building skills, especially with BC leaders like D. Sridhar Babu pushing for implementation, while allies urge caution to avoid electoral backlash.
Revanth must prioritize constitutional compliance over populism, exploring alternatives like sub-quotas or data-driven empirical justification, as the SC mandates. A transparent legal consultation could rebuild trust, transforming this dilemma into a model for equitable reservation.