Assembly passes SC categorisation bill

Hyderabad: The Telangana Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed the Telangana Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of Reservations) Bill, 2025, to implement the categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SCs).

Presenting the bill, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy reiterated his commitment to increasing SC reservations to 18% once the government receives the 2026 caste census details. The bill's passage marked a historic moment, as it aimed to provide a long-pending solution to the categorisation issue.

The Chief Minister responded to Congress member G Vivek’s demand for reservation increases in proportion to the population. He emphasised that the Congress party had historically resolved critical national issues.

He cited the creation of Telangana as an example, attributing it to the efforts of then-UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. He also acknowledged the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) agitation, which saw significant sacrifices for the cause of SC categorisation.

Thanking all members for setting aside political differences to support the bill, Reddy recalled the initiatives taken by the Congress in the past. In 2004, then Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy had passed a resolution on SC categorisation. The Congress government later appointed the Usha Mehra Commission, which submitted a detailed report on the issue.

The Chief Minister highlighted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s 2018 election campaign promise and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s commitment to implementing SC categorisation. To strengthen their legal stance, the government appointed senior advocate Siddharth Luthra to argue the case. Within an hour of the Supreme Court’s judgment, the government made a statement in the Assembly, reaffirming its dedication to the cause.

To ensure comprehensive recommendations, a Cabinet Sub-Committee led by Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy was formed. This committee met six times before recommending the appointment of a One-Man Commission. Consequently, the government appointed Shamim Akhtar as the commission’s head, who meticulously reviewed 8,681 representations before submitting a detailed report. The commission’s findings led to the division of 59 SC castes/communities into three groups based on their social, economic, and educational status.

The most backward 15 communities were placed in Group-1, receiving 1% reservations. Group-2, consisting of 18 moderately benefited communities, was allotted 9% reservations. Meanwhile, the remaining 26 communities, which had already gained better social and economic standing, were included in Group-3 with a 5% reservation quota. The passage of this bill marks a significant milestone in Telangana’s efforts to ensure equitable reservation benefits among Scheduled Castes, addressing long-standing demands for fair categorisation.