SC defers plea against Karnataka scrapping 4% OBC reservation for Muslims to Apr 25

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on April 18 deferred the hearing in pleas against the scrapping of 4 percent OBC reservation for Muslims in Karnataka to April 25, after the state assured that it will not make appointment/admissions based on the government order till then.

Appearing for Karnataka, Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta sought time to argue as he is to appeal before the Constitution Bench on same-sex marriage. He further said that he will compile a reply over the weekend and sought for the case to be adjourned.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners requested that a copy of the reply to be served on them as well. The bench agreed to SG's request and adjourned the case after recording his assurance.

On April 13, Justice KM Joseph, who led the bench,  informed that the reservation was prima facie scrapped on shaky grounds and expressed his intention to stay the government order till the next date of hearing.

However, SG Mehta told the apex court that a stay could not be granted till it hears the government and he wishes to place certain documents on record to convince the court on the basis of which the reservation was scrapped.

The case was adjourned on SG Mehta's statement that no admission/ appointments will be made on the order scrapping four percent reservation.

In March 2023, the Karnataka government announced its decision to scrap the 4 percent quota for minorities and add it to the existing quota of two dominant communities of the poll-bound state.

The 4 percent reservation given to Muslims under the 2B classification of the OBC category will now be divided into two equal parts and added to the existing quota of Vokkaligas and Lingayats for whom two new reservation categories of 2C and 2D were created during the Belagavi Assembly Session last year.

The Cabinet decided to bring religious minorities under the EWS category.