The Telangana High Court has scheduled a crucial hearing for December 29 on a petition demanding the implementation of reservations for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) advocates in the upcoming elections to the Bar Council of Telangana. The elections themselves are slated for January 30, 2026.
Petitioner's Constitutional Challenge
The plea was filed by advocate Padma Rao Putta, who has urged the court to mandate SC and ST quotas within the council's electoral process. He has asked the High Court to declare the Bar Council of Telangana's inaction on his repeated representations as a violation of fundamental constitutional rights.
Putta has specifically sought the quashing of the election notification issued on December 20, 2025, which did not incorporate reservations for marginalised communities. He has requested the court to direct the implementation of these quotas for the upcoming term and to order a stay on all further election proceedings until the final disposal of his writ petition.
Background of the Legal Tussle
According to the petition, a series of representations made to the concerned authorities went unaddressed. A previous petition on a similar matter was disposed of on December 8, 2025. At that time, the court had directed the Bar Council of India to consider the petitioner's grievances.
However, just twelve days later, on December 20, the Bar Council of Telangana issued a fresh election notification without including the SC/ST quotas. The petitioner contends that this exclusion is "illegal, arbitrary, and violates Articles 14, 19, 21, 341, and 342 of the Constitution". He also argues it goes against the provisions of the Representation of the People Act of 1950 and 1951.
Contrast with Women's Reservation
The petition highlights a significant contrast in the current election notification. It reportedly includes a 20% reservation for women, following directives from the Supreme Court. The petitioner argues that while this is a positive step, the simultaneous failure to provide proportional representation for SC and ST advocates fundamentally undermines the constitutional ethos of social justice and inclusive representation.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin heard the matter and posted it for further hearing on December 29. The outcome of this hearing could have major implications for the structure and fairness of the legal profession's self-governance in Telangana.
