Government to announce next steps after court order: Ponnam Prabhakar

HYDERABAD: Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the Telangana government would announce its next legal and administrative steps after receiving a copy of the High Court’s interim orders on the caste survey.

He said strong arguments were presented on behalf of the government. “We conducted a caste survey, formed a dedicated commission and a sub-committee, secured Cabinet approval, passed a law in the Assembly and sent it to the Governor. We even amended the 2018 Panchayat Raj Act,” he added.

The minister said the government did not expect the High Court to issue a stay. “Because local body elections have not been held, the state is not receiving funds from the Centre,” he said.

Prabhakar reiterated that the Congress government remained committed to providing 42% reservations for Backward Classes. “Congress is a champion of social justice,” he said.

He questioned why the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were not impleaded in the case. “Both parties must answer why they were not part of the High Court proceedings,” he said, adding that the Congress would go to the polls under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership with a social justice agenda.