What stopped Andhra Pradesh’s 34% BC quota in local bodies? | Explained

The story so far:

The controversy over enhanced reservations for Backward Classes (BCs) in Andhra Pradesh’s local body elections highlights the challenge of turning electoral promises into legally sustainable policies. The N. Chandrababu Naidu-led NDA government sought to raise BC reservations to 34% in rural local bodies and 33.33% in urban local bodies, to fulfil a key commitment made during the 2024 elections. But the initiative suffered a setback after the Andhra Pradesh High Court struck down the government orders on October 1, 2026. The Supreme Court subsequently dismissed the State government’s appeal on October 9, 2026, upholding the High Court’s judgment.

The dispute centres on three issues: the 50% ceiling on aggregate vertical reservations, the Supreme Court’s triple-test requirements for BC reservations in local bodies, and the government’s alternative strategy of allocating more election tickets to BC candidates.

Why did the enhanced quota face a legal hurdle?

The government intended to increase BC representation in grassroots democratic institutions. But reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and BCs fall under vertical reservations, which are subject to the judicially established 50% ceiling in local body elections.

By increasing the BC quota to 34%, the government risked pushing aggregate reservations beyond the permissible ceiling when combined with existing SC and ST quotas.

The High Court struck down the orders, holding that the enhanced reservation could not be implemented without complying with constitutional and judicial requirements. The ruling did not eliminate the need to improve BC representation; it restricted the method adopted to achieve that objective.

What is the triple test?

The Supreme Court has prescribed a three-part framework, commonly known as the triple test, for determining BC reservations in local body elections.

First, the State must establish a dedicated commission to conduct a rigorous empirical inquiry into the nature and implications of political backwardness among BCs.

Second, the commission must determine the appropriate proportion of reservation for individual local bodies based on its findings. A uniform percentage cannot simply be imposed across the State without the required assessment.

Third, total reservations for SCs, STs and BCs must remain within the 50% ceiling, subject to applicable constitutional exceptions.