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The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) senior leaders and former ministers Dharmana Prasada Rao and Chelluboyina Srinivasa Venugopala Krishna on Thursday said the High Courts decision striking down GOs 105 and 1065 on BC reservations had exposed the Chandrababu Naidu governments political game in the name of social justice.
According to a press release, the High Court set aside the orders providing 34 per cent BC reservation in rural local bodies and 33.33 per cent in urban bodies, while directing that the local-body election process be initiated within six weeks. Dharmana said YSRCP had warned from the day the GOs were issued that they would face legal hurdles because aggregate vertical reservations for SCs, STs and BCs cannot ordinarily cross the 50 per cent ceiling. He added that the government had failed to establish a legally sustainable basis for 34 per cent reservation and challenged Chandrababu to demonstrate his commitment by ensuring equivalent political representation for BCs in the coming local elections. The High Court had earlier questioned the government on the data and legal basis used to arrive at the 34 per cent figure. Venugopala Krishna further demanded an unconditional apology to BCs and questioned why the TDP, despite being part of the NDA government at the Centre, had not pursued a constitutional route, including a proposal on the lines of Tamil Nadus Ninth Schedule protection, if it genuinely wanted reservation beyond the existing ceiling, the release said. Meanwhile, YSRCP President and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy compensated for judicial limits on statutory reservation by expanding BC political representation. Nine of 13 Mayor posts, six of 13 Zilla Parishad Chairperson posts, four Rajya Sabha positions, 11 of 25 Lok Sabha candidatures, nearly 48 per cent of MLC positions and substantial representation in municipal and Mandal-level leadership, the release stated. With local elections slated to move forward under court directives, leaders demanded that the coalition allot at least 34 per cent of its political opportunities and seats to BCs, rather than relying on announcements that fail judicial scrutiny. (ANI)
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