Total reservation in Maha local polls can't exceed 50%, says SC

The Supreme Court on Monday held that total reservation across the local bodies going to polls in Maharashtra cannot exceed 50% as it scoffed at the state for “misconstruing” its earlier order and warned of even staying the elections.

- Abraham Thomas

With the nominations for the polls to the zila parishads, panchayat samitis and the municipalities set to begin from Tuesday, the court posted the matter on Wednesday.

“For the moment, do not allow reservation to extend beyond 50%. We will not allow the elections if they go against our Constitution bench decision. The decision of the Constitution bench (in Indira Sawhney judgment of 1992) is clear. Reservation cannot exceed 50%...” a bench of justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said.