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Telangana MLAs, MPs to knock on President’s door for assent to BC reservation Bills

The Bills were passed in March in the state Assembly and were sent to Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma for his assent. Varma then sent the Bills to the President for assent on March 30 this year.

2 min readHyderabadJul 29, 2025 06:51 AM IST

Telangana MLAs, MPs to knock on President’s door for assent to BC reservation Bills

President Draupadi Murmu (File Photo)

Congress MLAs and MPs from Telangana are set to leave for Delhi to meet President Draupadi Murmu to demand the passing of two Bills that provide for 42% reservation for Backward Classes in the state.

The Bills were passed in March in the state Assembly and were sent to Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma for his assent. Varma then sent the Bills to the President for assent on March 30 this year.

The decision was taken after a five-hour Cabinet meeting. Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting, minister Ponnam Prabhakar said, “On August 5, 6 and 7, under the leadership of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, a delegation of Congress MLAs and MPs and other Opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will seek appointment with the President.”

The Bills provide for 42% reservation for BCs in education, employment and local body polls. Telangana, as per a High Court order, has to conduct its civic polls by August 30. “As we have to conduct the local body polls by August 30, we have to get the President’s assent for the Bills soon,” Prabhakar said.

He said that the Bills cannot be struck down for breaching the 50% reservation cap. “When there is empirical data for the population of BCs, reservation should be based on this population data. Already, the 50% cap is breached with EWS quota,” Prabhakar said, adding that Congress stands for social justice.

Telangana’s caste survey had revealed that the population of BCs is at 56.3% in the state. “We have empirical data to prove that there is a need to breach the reservation cap,” Prabhakar said. He also said that Telangana’s caste census should set an example for other states in the country.

Prabhakar, who himself is a BC leader, also said that BC leaders from the state, including those from the BJP, should support this effort to get the President’s assent for the Bills.

Nikhila Henry

Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More

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