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Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of blocking the two Bills intending to provide 42% reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) and an ordinance passed by the state Congress government to do away with the 50% cap on reservations.
“If PM Modi or Union minister G Kishan Reddy have anything against Rahul Gandhi, let them book cases against him. But blocking the BC Bills is unfair. The Union government has the power to get the assent of the President and let the Bills pass,” he said. The CM was speaking on Monday, August 18 at the 375th birth anniversary celebrations of Sardar Sarvai Papanna Goud held at Hyderabad’s Ravindra Bharati.
The two Bills CM Revanth was referring to are the Telangana Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments for Posts in Services under the State) Bill, 2025 and Telangana Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Rural and Urban Local Bodies) Bill, 2025.
Both these Bills, passed in the Telangana Legislature in March 2025, intend to provide 42% reservation for BCs, 15% for SCs and 10% for STs. With the two Bills awaiting Presidential assent, the Telangana government also promulgated an ordinance in July to overcome the Supreme Court’s 50% ceiling on reservations to be able to implement a 42% quota for BCs in local body elections.
“When we realised the Bills were being delayed, we held a dharna at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Several leaders from other states participated, but the BJP and BRS stayed out of it, showing their anti-BC stance,” CM Revanth said.
The 50% ceiling was set by the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney vs Union of India judgement. As per the judgement, any Indian state’s powers are limited from increasing the overall reservations beyond 50%. However, states such as Tamil Nadu have provided reservations up to 69%, by having the reservation law included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.
Also Read: Include Telangana’s 42% reservation law in Ninth Schedule, demand BC groups