HYDERABAD: The ruling Congress has announced that the state government, led by the party, will approach the Supreme Court against the interim stay granted by the Telangana High Court on GOs 9, 41, and 42, which provide 42% reservations for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections. The party issued a statement to this effect on Saturday.
While the high court gave the state the liberty to conduct the local body elections by treating the additional BC quota as general seats, the Congress government appears determined to hold the polls by implementing the 42% quota as promised in its BC Declaration.
The state government plans to reiterate before the Supreme Court the arguments it presented during the recent high court hearing, asserting that it has complied with the “triple test” formula laid down by the apex court. It contends that it has fulfilled the requirement by conducting the Socio-Economic, Education, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) Survey and collecting empirical data through a dedicated commission.
Additionally, the government maintains that courts cannot encroach upon the jurisdiction of the Election Commission once an election has been notified.
CM reviews plans for AI Innovation Hub
Meanwhile, Revanth also reviewed plans for establishing an AI Innovation Hub in the city. The idea is to integrate all existing AI initiatives, startups, and centres of excellence under one umbrella, and to collaborate with global companies, research institutes, and international AI hubs.
Minister Sridhar Babu emphasised the need to create a fund of funds to advance the state’s vision of AI-based innovation and to support startups. He stressed the importance of adopting an innovation-driven strategy to drive growth in the age of artificial intelligence.
Since 2024, the government has launched several AI initiatives as part of a larger goal to position Telangana as a leading global destination for AI. The Global AI Summit was held in September 2024, the AI City project plan was announced, the Telangana AI Rising Grand Challenge was conducted, and an AI Catalyst Programme was organised for state government officials. Besides, the Telangana Data Exchange (TGDeX) — India’s first state-led digital public infrastructure — was launched.
Skilling is a crucial part of the exercise to unify all AI assets in Telangana. The state government is already making efforts to establish a dedicated AI university to provide AI skill training to students and the workforce.
