The Madhya Pradesh High Court has deferred hearings on petitions challenging the OBC quota hike, following the Supreme Court’s stay on the matter. The Supreme Court is currently reviewing petitions to transfer all related cases from the MP High Court.
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BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has postponed the hearing on multiple petitions regarding the hike in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota. This decision came after it was revealed that the Supreme Court is currently handling nine petitions that seek to transfer all related cases from the MP High Court to the Supreme Court. Notably, in one of these petitions, the Supreme Court has also stayed the proceedings concerning the OBC quota hike issue in the high court.
Following this development, the division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf decided to defer the hearing in the case for four weeks. The move comes as the legal battles surrounding the OBC quota hike continue to unfold.
Since 2019, the OBC quota hike has been a contentious issue. The controversy began when the then Kamal Nath-led government introduced an ordinance aimed at increasing the quota for OBCs in state government jobs and admissions to educational institutions from 14% to 27%.
This ordinance eventually became law through an Act passed by the state assembly. The increase in the OBC quota was intended to provide greater representation and opportunities for the OBC community in Madhya Pradesh.
Meanwhile, various departments and recruitment agencies within the state government have implemented an 87:13 formula in announcing the results of recruitment exams.
According to this formula, the results for 87% of the posts are declared, while the results for the remaining 13% of candidates from both the general and OBC categories are withheld. This approach has been adopted as a temporary measure while the legal proceedings regarding the quota hike are ongoing.
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The deferment of the hearing by the MP High Court underscores the complexity and sensitivity of the issue. The involvement of the Supreme Court adds another layer of scrutiny and deliberation to the matter, highlighting the significance of the quota hike not only at the state level but also in the broader context of national judicial review.
The outcome of these legal proceedings will have a profound impact on the OBC community in Madhya Pradesh and could set a precedent for similar cases across India. As the Supreme Court continues to deliberate on the petitions, stakeholders and affected parties await a resolution that balances legal, social, and constitutional considerations.
