T'gana Cong to hold consultations with experts on providing 42 pc quota to BCs in local body polls

Hyderabad, Aug 23 (PTI) The ruling Congress in Telangana on Saturday decided to form a committee to hold wider consultations on providing 42 per cent reservations to backward classes in coming local body polls.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Political Affairs Committee of state Congress, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the state cabinet would decide on the quota issue after receiving a report from the proposed committee.

State Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud would announce the constitution of the committee and the panel would submit its report before August 28, he said.

The consultations with legal experts is necessitated as the two bills passed by the state legislature to provide 42 per cent reservation for Backward Classes in local bodies and education and employment are currently pending with the President.

The Telangana High Court had earlier directed the state government and the State Election Commission to conduct elections to the Gram Panchayats and declare results by September 30.

Speaking in the PAC meeting, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said the state government has appointed two advocates to present the state government's views before the Supreme Court on the issue that President should decide within 90 days on bills forwarded by state governors.

The CM earlier this month led a protest at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi to demand Presidential assent for the Backward Classes reservation bills and alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre was stalling the bills passed by the state legislature as it was "anti-OBC". PTI SJR SJR KH