The Supreme Court asked Maharashtra to consider delaying local body poll nominations while it examines the 27% OBC quota issue. The court warned that continuing the process may complicate elections already under legal scrutiny.
The Supreme Court has instructed the Madhya Pradesh government to respond by July 4 regarding the implementation of a 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) despite the existing 14% quota. The petitioners assert that legal challenges hinder benefits, while political tensions escalate between Congress and BJP over the delays and judicial stay affecting the law.
The Supreme Court will urgently hear a petition from Madhya Pradesh’s OBC community, seeking full implementation of the 27% reservation law passed in 2019, which has not been enforced due to a legal stay. Petitioners argue the government is unjustly limiting OBC reservations to 14%, despite the law’s validity.
Justice Surya Kant of the Supreme Court commented on Maharashtra’s OBC reservation system, likening it to a crowded train compartment, stopping new arrivals. During hearings on delayed local elections, he stressed the need for inclusivity in reservations and identified the need for more classification within OBCs to genuinely support the truly disadvantaged groups.
Today, On 22nd May, The Calcutta High Court nullified OBC certificates issued in West Bengal post-2010. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee vehemently opposes this ruling, asserting that OBC reservation will persist. She criticized the BJP and expressed disapproval over the court’s decision affecting over 5 lakh OBC certificates. The Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal will conclude on June 4.