Jagan demands Constitutional amendment for 34% BC quota in Andhra local bodies
Synopsis
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has struck down Naidu's 34% BC reservation orders — and Jagan Mohan Reddy is turning the legal setback into a political offensive, demanding a Constitutional amendment and a public apology. With TDP as an NDA partner, the pressure on Naidu to act at the Centre is now squarely on the record.
Key Takeaways
The Andhra Pradesh High Court struck down two government orders providing 34% reservation for Backward Classes in local bodies.
YSRCP President Y.S.
Jagan Mohan Reddy demanded a Constitutional amendment from CM N.
Chandrababu Naidu to legally secure BC quota on 1 October 2026 .
Jagan alleged Naidu knew the orders would not survive judicial scrutiny given prior Supreme Court judgments, calling the 44-day exercise a 'political drama.' Jagan demanded Naidu use TDP's position in the NDA coalition to press the Centre for the necessary legal amendment.
YSRCP claimed its government had enacted a 50% reservation law for BCs, SCs, STs, and minorities in nominated posts in August 2019 .
A Constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds parliamentary majority and remains the only route past the Supreme Court's 50% quota ceiling .
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday, 1 October 2026, accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of deceiving Backward Classes (BCs) and demanded that Naidu use his political leverage at the Centre to push through a Constitutional amendment guaranteeing 34 per cent reservation for BCs in local bodies. The demand came hours after the Andhra Pradesh High Court struck down two government orders that had sought to provide the same quota.
High Court Order That Sparked the Row
The Andhra Pradesh High Court invalidated two state government orders granting 34 per cent reservation to BCs in local body elections. Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that Naidu had advance knowledge that the reservation mechanism would not survive judicial scrutiny, given prior Supreme Court judgments on the subject. He questioned whether the entire 44-day exercise leading up to the court order was, in his words, a 'political drama.'
What Jagan Demanded From Naidu
'If you are genuinely committed to providing 34 per cent reservation to BCs, it can be achieved only through constitutionally valid measures,' Jagan Mohan Reddy said. He urged Naidu — as a partner in the coalition government at the Centre — to use his party's representation in the Union government to press for the necessary legal amendment. The YSRCP chief also demanded that Naidu publicly apologise to the BC community for issuing legally unsustainable orders rather than pursuing a durable constitutional remedy first.
Allegations of Political Deception
Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that the government had repeatedly misled BC communities by issuing government orders that were not grounded in a constitutionally and legally sustainable framework. 'How long will you continue this politics of deception against the BCs? How much longer do you intend to mislead and deceive them?' he asked. He alleged the move was politically motivated and questioned whether Naidu's government was using BC communities for electoral gain rather than genuinely advancing their interests.
YSRCP's Counter-Claim on BC Welfare
The former Chief Minister claimed that his government had worked to uplift BCs, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and minorities economically, socially, and politically. He cited a law enacted in August 2019 that reportedly provided 50 per cent reservation for BCs, SCs, STs, and minorities in nominated posts and contract works across corporations, boards, societies, and committees in the state. He asserted that this created leadership opportunities for these communities on an unprecedented scale and enabled greater participation in public life.
What Happens Next
The High Court order leaves BC reservation in Andhra Pradesh's local bodies in legal limbo. A Constitutional amendment — which would require a two-thirds majority in Parliament — remains the only route to a legally durable quota beyond the 50 per cent ceiling set by existing Supreme Court precedent. Whether Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP), as a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner, will formally raise this demand at the Centre remains to be seen. The episode is likely to intensify caste-based political mobilisation ahead of future electoral cycles in the state.
Point of View
Knowing full well they are likely to be struck down, but banking on the political signal they send before courts intervene. Naidu's 44-day window before the High Court acted fits this template precisely. Jagan's demand for a Constitutional amendment is technically sound — that is, in fact, the only legally durable route — but it is also a move designed to corner Naidu, whose TDP holds coalition leverage at the Centre yet has not formally raised the issue there. The deeper question the mainstream coverage sidesteps is why neither the current nor the previous Andhra government pursued the constitutional route first, rather than issuing orders both sides knew were judicially vulnerable.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Andhra Pradesh High Court strike down the 34% BC reservation orders?
The Andhra Pradesh High Court invalidated two state government orders granting 34% reservation for Backward Classes in local bodies. The orders reportedly did not meet the constitutional and legal tests set by prior Supreme Court judgments on reservation limits and procedural requirements.
What is Jagan Mohan Reddy demanding from Chandrababu Naidu?
Jagan Mohan Reddy is demanding that Naidu use TDP's position as an NDA coalition partner to persuade the Centre to introduce a Constitutional amendment that would create a legally durable 34% reservation for BCs in local bodies. He has also demanded a public apology to the BC community.
Why is a Constitutional amendment needed for BC reservation?
Existing Supreme Court judgments cap total reservations at 50%, and state government orders alone cannot override this without a constitutional basis. A Constitutional amendment — requiring a two-thirds majority in Parliament — is the only mechanism that could make such a quota legally sustainable.
What reservation measures did the YSRCP government claim to have introduced?
YSRCP claimed its government enacted a law in August 2019 providing 50% reservation for BCs, SCs, STs, and minorities in nominated posts and contract works across state corporations, boards, societies, and committees, reportedly enabling greater political participation for these communities.
What happens to BC reservation in Andhra Pradesh local bodies now?
With the High Court order striking down the government orders, BC reservation in Andhra Pradesh's local bodies is in legal limbo. Any future implementation would require either a fresh constitutionally valid state mechanism or a Central Constitutional amendment, neither of which has been initiated yet.
