ആന്ധ്രാപ്രദേശിലെ തദ്ദേശ തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ്: സുപ്രീം കോടതി വിധിക്ക് പിന്നാലെ ബിസി സംവരണം പുനർനിർണയിച്ചു

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet on Saturday finalised reservation for Backward Classes in local body elections based on the Rajiv Ranjan Commission report. Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu said the decision covered reservations across rural and urban local bodies.

Announcing the Cabinet decisions at a press conference at the Secretariat, Atchannaidu said BCs will get 26.73 per cent reservation in gram panchayat ward member posts and 27.95 per cent in gram panchayat sarpanch posts. He said the coalition government’s "primary goal is to do social justice and give deserving political representation to BCs 26.73 percent (reservation will be given for BCs) in gram panchayat ward member posts".

He said BC reservation will be 25.55 per cent in Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies, 24.6 per cent each in Mandal Parishad Presidents and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies, and 23.08 per cent in Zilla Parishad chairperson posts. In urban local bodies, he said BCs will get 32.78 per cent reservation in ward member posts, 33.02 per cent in municipal chairperson posts and 35.29 per cent for mayors.

The TDP-led government’s decision came a day after the Supreme Court scrapped its earlier decision to extend 34 per cent reservation for BCs in local bodies. Meanwhile, state Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav accused YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy of "slashing" reservation for BCs to 24 per cent from 34 per cent.

Yadav said, "At a time when Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is steadfastly striving to empower BCs, YSRCP is conspiring to hinder those efforts and delay local bodies polls." He also said any delay in holding the polls will affect the flow of 16th Finance Commission funds. With the Cabinet now finalising the revised reservation structure, the government has laid out BC quotas for local body posts across the state.

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