NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed an appeal filed by the Andhra Pradesh government challenging an order of the high court which struck 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 passed a reasonable order.The high court on October 1 had struck down two government orders, observing that the quota was against Supreme Court guidelines 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.