Supreme Court upholds rejection of Andhra Pradesh's 34% BC reservation in PRIs and ULBs
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Constitution, amendments & basic structure· Prelims + Mains·
Judicial review of reservation limits: a key GS2 topic on constitutional limits and local governance.
Why in news
The Supreme Court upheld a High Court judgment rejecting the Andhra Pradesh government's proposal for 34% BC reservation in PRIs and 33.33% in ULBs, citing the 50% ceiling.
Background
The Supreme Court Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu dismissed the Andhra Pradesh government's plea against G.O. Nos. 105 and 1065. The court ruled that the proposed reservations exceeded the 50% limit established in the Indra Sawhney v. Union of India case.
Facts for Prelims
- BodySupreme Court Bench: Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu
- FactAndhra Pradesh proposed 34% reservation for BCs in PRIs and 33.33% in ULBs
- ConstitutionIndra Sawhney v. Union of India: Established the 50% ceiling for reservations
- PlaceAndhra Pradesh: State government seeking reservation in PRIs and ULBs
Prelims practice question
Which landmark case established the 50% ceiling for reservations in India?
- (a)D.P. Yadav v. State of Uttar Pradesh
- (b)Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala
- (c)Indra Sawhney v. Union of India
- (d)M. Nagaraj v. Union of India
Show answer
Answer: (c) Indra Sawhney v. Union of India — The Indra Sawhney v. Union of India case established the 50% ceiling for reservations.
For Mains
Q. Discuss the constitutional validity of state-specific reservation policies that exceed the 50% ceiling established by the judiciary.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Judicial oversight: Balancing state legislative autonomy with the 50% ceiling mandate
- Equality vs. Equity: Conflict between proportional representation and the principle of meritocracy
- Federal friction: State-led reservation initiatives vs. central judicial precedents
Keywords: Judicial Review · Reservation Policy · Indra Sawhney Case · Proportionality · Constitutional Ceiling
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This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.