Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday said the state is committed to holding local body elections with 42% reservation for Backward Classes and is pushing the Centre to approve the necessary legislation.
Addressing the media in Delhi, Revanth said the Telangana Assembly had passed two bills granting 42% reservation to BCs in education, employment, and local bodies. The Centre, he said, has delayed assent despite the state completing a caste-based Social, Educational, Economic, Employment and Political (SEEEPC) survey covering 3.55 crore residents.
The Chief Minister said he had come to Delhi to press the Centre for approval and would meet Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge to explain the state’s scientific methodology and seek INDIA bloc support.
The survey, conducted between February 4, 2024, and February 4, 2025, found BCs account for 56.4%, SCs 17.45%, STs 10.08%, and upper castes 10.09% of the population, with 3.09% unclassified. February 4 has since been declared Social Justice Day.
Revanth said the bills were approved after Cabinet review and full Assembly debate, and recommendations from an expert committee. The state did not release individual caste data, citing data privacy law.
He said Telangana has shown the way on caste enumeration and the Centre has been forced to include it in the national census under pressure. He urged the Union government to adopt Telangana’s model for nationwide caste data collection.
The CM added that the 50% reservation cap no longer applies post-implementation of 10% EWS quota. He said the state had amended the Panchayat Raj Act and issued an ordinance after submitting details sought by the Governor.
“This isn’t about one person. We are asking for 42% BC reservations based on scientific data, for an entire community. We are ready to fight for it,” Revanth said.
Senior advisers and MPs, including Mohd Ali Shabbir, Harakara Venu Gopal Rao, Mallu Ravi, Porika Balram, Suresh Shetkar, Kiran Kumar Chamala, R R Reddy, Kaka Vamsi, and Dr Kadiyam Kavya, were present.
ఢిల్లీ: తెలంగాణలో వెనుకబడిన తరగతులకు 42 శాతం రిజర్వేషన్లతో స్థానిక ఎన్నికలు నిర్వహించేందుకు ప్రభుత్వం కృత నిశ్చయంతో ఉన్నదని ముఖ్యమంత్రి శ్రీ @revanth_anumula గారు స్పష్టం చేశారు. బీసీలకు 42 శాతం రిజర్వేషన్లు కల్పిస్తూ శాసనసభ ఆమోదించిన బిల్లులకు చట్టబద్ధత కల్పించాల్సిన… pic.twitter.com/d7i3Agt7CZ
— Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) July 23, 2025
