Metro India News | Hyderabad 

In a unified political move, leaders from all major parties have appealed to Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma to promptly approve the Bill proposing a 42% reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections.

During a meeting held at Raj Bhavan on Monday, a delegation comprising TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Seethakka, Government Whips Adi Srinivas and Birla Ilaiah, BRS MLA KP Vivekananda Goud, along with CPI leaders Narayana and MLC Nellikanti Satyam, collectively urged the Governor to give his assent to the legislation.

The leaders briefed the Governor on the recent passage of the Panchayati Raj Act-2018 Amendment Bill in the State Assembly, which eliminates the previous 50% cap on reservations in Telangana. They highlighted that the amendment, which aims to increase BC reservations in local bodies to 42%, was unanimously passed in the Assembly.

Governor Varma inquired about the BC population figures in Telangana during the discussions. In response, the delegation emphasized that the legislation is grounded in data from the caste census, which shows that BCs constitute 56.33% of the state’s population.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, TPCC chief and MLC Mahesh Kumar Goud reaffirmed the State government’s commitment to implementing the 42% BC reservation. He stressed that the move is legally and socially justified, citing the caste survey as the basis for the amendment. Goud concluded by stating that all political parties stand united in urging the Governor to consider the caste census findings and give swift approval to the Bill.