On Tuesday, the West Bengal government filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking an urgent hearing regarding the Calcutta High Court’s recent decision that invalidated the Other Backward Classes (OBC) status of several castes, predominantly Muslim groups. This ruling has significant implications for granting reservations in public sector jobs and state-run educational institutions. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the Trinamool Congress-led government, emphasized that the issuance of OBC certificates has been stalled due to the court’s verdict, hindering access to educational opportunities, including admission to medical colleges.
During the proceedings, Sibal urged the bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud to expedite the hearing, as delays in addressing these issues have caused substantial setbacks for individuals seeking quota benefits. The Chief Justice acknowledged that while the matters were on the docket for discussion, they would be taken up once the prior cases were concluded. The Supreme Court previously requested quantifiable data from the West Bengal government on the Social and economic backwardness of the newly included castes in the OBC category and their representation in public sector employment.
The Calcutta High Court, in its ruling on May 22, declared the OBC status of these castes as illegal, stating that religion appeared to be the sole criterion for their classification. The court expressed concern that the selection of 77 Muslim classes as OBCs seemed politically motivated, undermining the integrity of the community. The High Court clarified that the ruling would not affect individuals already benefitting from the reservation system. The Supreme Court has issued notices to relevant parties involved in challenging the inclusion of these castes, requesting detailed affidavits outlining the processes followed for their classification as OBCs.