Comprehensive caste survey can justify legislative and constitutional measures to increase reservations: BC leaders

They urged the Telangana government to explore all possible avenues, including legal options, to secure 42% reservations for BCs in local body elections.

Former State BC Commission chairman Vakulabharanam Krishna Mohan Rao has criticised Chief Minister A.Revanth Reddy for stating that exceeding the 50% reservation cap was constitutionally impossible. He argued that a comprehensive caste survey could provide the necessary justification for legislative and constitutional measures to increase reservations.

He was speaking at a meeting organised by the National BC Welfare Association on Sunday regarding BC caste census and reservations. Several prominent intellectuals and BC association leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP R.Krishnaiah, former minister V.Srinivas Goud, and retired IAS officer Chiranjeevulu, also spoke. They urged the Telangana government to explore all possible avenues, including legal options, to secure 42% reservations for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections.

“The government can fulfil their demand if it genuinely prioritises the uplift of the BC community,” said the Rajya Sabha member. He warned that if the Congress government fails to fulfil its promises to BCs, they will defeat its candidates in the coming local body elections. He emphasised that the government must correct the discrepancies in the recent caste survey and conduct a re-survey to capture the missing population data.

The forum accused the government of deliberately under-reporting the BC population in the caste survey and attempting to mislead BCs with manipulated data.

The speakers at the event also demanded that the government explore legal and constitutional avenues to implement 42% reservations in local elections. The discussion forum saw mass participation from BC organisations.