Supreme Court Rejects A.P. Plea to Restore 34% BC Quota in Local Bodies

The Supreme Court on [date] rejected the Andhra Pradesh government's plea to restore a 34% reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local bodies, ruling that the data from a unified family survey were insufficient to justify the enhanced quota. The court held that without a specific empirical assessment of backwardness and representation in local bodies, the reservation could not be sustained.

The state had sought to enhance BC reservation in local bodies from the existing 29% to 34%, citing findings from a comprehensive family survey. However, the Supreme Court emphasized that mere survey data do not meet the constitutional requirement for empirical evidence to justify reservations. The court's order reinforces the need for rigorous, quantifiable data to support such affirmative action policies.

The ruling is a significant setback for the Andhra Pradesh government, which had argued that the increased quota was necessary to ensure adequate political representation for backward classes. It also sets a precedent for other states considering similar measures, underscoring the judiciary's insistence on empirical justification for reservation policies. The state government is yet to announce its next course of action.