Explain 27.5% OBC quota, SC to Centre

NEW DELHI: In a development that does not augur well for the UPA government and quota enthusiasts within it, the Supreme Court on Monday sent a notice to the Centre asking it to explain the decision to provide 27.5% reservation for OBCs in centrally-funded educational institutions.

The notice to the government comes close on the heels of the Supreme Court order in the Ninth Schedule ��� a judgement that is sure to become the reference point for testing the legality of quota laws. The SC had earlier asked the government to provide empirical evidence to substantiate its claim on the OBC population.

The National Sample Survey had said the group makes up for 32% and not 52% as earlier believed. The Supreme Court, which admitted a petition challenging the government order providing reservation for OBCs, granted 3 weeks to the Centre to respond to the same.

Appearing for the petitioner, senior counsel Harish Salve told a Bench comprising Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice SH Kapadia that though the Bill has been passed by both Houses of Parliament, the official notification was awaited and whenever the notification providing for reservation is issued, it would be challenged.

The government has already announced that it���s going to implement the policy of reservation providing 27.5% reservation to OBCs from 2007-2008. There is also a plan to provide similar reservation in unaided institutions.

While the apex court has already issued notices on a petition challenging the order of HRD minister Arjun Singh and the government, in its counter, has justified caste-based reservation, the government is yet to place the Veerappa Moily committee report before this court as directed earlier.