State seeks urgent hearing of its plea in Supreme Court

MP, 25 Sept 2024, Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Tuesday is learnt to have sought for an urgent hearing on its plea in the Supreme Court (SC) against a Calcutta High Court verdict which struck down the OBC status in several castes, mostly Muslim groups, for granting reservation to them in public sector jobs and state-run educational institutions. 

The Apex Court bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud was told by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Trinamool Congress-led state government, that the plea along with other petitions needed to be heard as the issues like issuance of OBC certificate is stalled. 

Sibal said the authorities are unable to issue caste certificates to those seeking quota benefits in admissions, including entry to medical colleges. Further, it was submitted that though the cases are listed for hearing in the day’s list but they are unlikely to reach. 

The Apex Court bench is learnt to have said it would consider advancing the date of hearing on a plea of the West Bengal government. 

A similar plea was made on September 13 requesting the bench to consider advancing the date of hearing. The top court on August 5 asked the state government to provide quantifiable data on social and economic backwardness of fresh castes it has included in the OBC list and on their inadequate representation in the public sector jobs. 

While issuing notices to private litigants, the bench had asked the authorities to file an affidavit giving details of the consultations, if any, conducted by it and the state’s backward classes panel before including the castes, mostly Muslim groups, in the OBC list. 

The high court had on May 22 struck down the OBC status of several castes in West Bengal granted since 2010, holding as illegal the reservation for them in the public sector jobs and state-run educational institutions. 

HC had said, “Religion indeed appears to have been the sole criterion” for declaring these communities as OBCs. The HC had clarified that the services of citizens of the struck-down classes, who are already in service or have availed the benefit of reservation or have succeeded in any selection process of the state, will not be affected by the order.