The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the Andhra Pradesh government's appeal against a High Court order striking down two government orders providing 34 per cent reservation for backward classes in local body elections.
A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu said the Andhra Pradesh High Court had passed a reasonable order.
On October 1, the High Court struck down the two government orders, observing that the quota violated Supreme Court guidelines stipulating that total reservation should not exceed 50 per cent.
The High Court had directed the state government and the State Election Commission to begin the election process within six weeks.
On August 18, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had announced the 34 per cent quota for backward classes in local body polls.
"We have taken this decision as part of the coalition government's political principle and NDA's promise. We promised to give reservations to backward classes in nominated posts during the polls and we have lived up to it," Naidu had said.
(With inputs from PTI)