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Telangana’s Reservation Punt: A Supreme Court Query?

Hyderabad, April 6th, 2025

Telangana wants 67% of its jobs and college seats reserved for backward classes, breaching India’s 50% quota cap—a judicial red line since 1992. Facing legal headwinds, the state could sidestep the storm by asking the Supreme Court for an early nod under Article 143, a rarely used constitutional provision. Tamil Nadu’s 69% quota survived without such a gambit, but today’s stricter judiciary demands caution. Can Telangana pull it off?

The Article 143 Gambit
Article 143 lets the President, nudged by the government, seek the Supreme Court’s advice on knotty legal or public issues. For Telangana’s 67% plan—42% for Backward Classes (BC), 15% for Scheduled Castes (SC), and 10% for Scheduled Tribes (ST)—it’s a chance to test the waters. The state would ask: “Does our 2024 caste survey, showing 83.88% backwardness, justify busting the 50% ceiling?” The court’s reply, though not binding, would signal its leanings.

The Playbook
First, Telangana must frame a crisp question, backed by its survey (56% BCs, 17% SCs, 10% STs) and March 2025 laws. Next, it lobbies the BJP-led centre to prod the President—tricky, given Delhi’s wariness of state quotas beyond 50%. If successful, the Supreme Court weighs in, free to dodge or opine. Past uses—Kerala’s 1965 school law (approved), Ayodhya’s 1994 tangle (sidestepped)—show it’s a coin toss.

Why Risk It?
A preemptive query could avert a post-law slapdown, as Bihar’s 65% quota suffered in 2024. It signals transparency, blunts critics, and might clarify when the 50% cap bends—vital as caste debates simmer with the 2025 Census stalled. A cooperative centre shares the political load; a “yes” offers a blueprint, a “no” a quiet retreat.

The Court’s Calculus
The Supreme Court could nod if Telangana’s 83.88% backwardness mirrors Tamil Nadu’s 87%, but it’ll demand ironclad data—poverty, education, jobs—not just headcounts. Post-2007, it guards the Constitution’s core (equity, fairness), so 16% unreserved voices matter. A firm “no” echoes recent rejections; a hedge delays the reckoning.

Hurdles Ahead
The BJP centre, fond of its EWS quota but cool on state excesses, may balk—Telangana’s Congress rulers must barter. The court could demur if the ask feels too vague. Even a green light isn’t final; lawsuits could follow. This low-stakes probe beats blind defiance. A nation wrestling with caste and quotas watches.

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