Crime Today News
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has issued a notice to the state government, seeking its response to a writ petition that challenges the legal validity of the Telangana Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of Reservations) Act, 2025.
The petition was filed by G Chennaiah, national president of Mala Mahanadu, who contends that the Act does not meet the necessary legal requirements for sub-classifying Scheduled Castes (SCs) for reservation purposes.
Petitioner challenges govt’s one man commission
Representing the petitioner, senior counsel DV Sitarama Murthy argued that the sub-classification under the Act was based solely on the findings of a one-man commission, without the collection or presentation of empirical data to demonstrate the inadequate representation and backwardness of specific SC groups.
He pointed out that the Supreme Court, in a landmark seven-judge bench judgment, has mandated the use of such data for making sub-classifications.
Furthermore, the counsel highlighted that the commission relied on data from the 2011 Census, which was conducted before the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and, therefore, does not accurately reflect the current socio-economic realities of Telangana.
According to the petitioner, the use of outdated data and the commission’s assertion that empirical data need not be the sole criterion make the Act legally vulnerable. He requested the court to stay the implementation of the Act.
A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara issued notice to the state government and directed it to file its counter-affidavit.
When the petitioner pressed for an immediate stay on the Act, expressing concerns that the government might proceed with recruitment under the new law, the bench advised him to file an interim application if such a situation arises.
Telangana Scheduled Castes Act, 2025
The Telangana Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of Reservations) Act, 2025, aims to restructure the existing reservation system for SCs in the state by dividing 59 SC sub-castes into three groups, each receiving different reservation percentages based on their assessed level of backwardness.
This classification was based on the recommendations of the Shamim Akhtar Commission, which reviewed thousands of representations and various socio-economic indicators. However, the methodology and reliance on outdated data have become central issues in the legal challenge.
The High Court has given the state government six weeks to respond to the petition. The outcome of this case is likely to have significant implications for reservation policies and the process of sub-categorisation within Scheduled Castes in Telangana.
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