The Supreme Court today agreed to examine the validity of the Kerala government’s decision to extend 10% reservation for economically backward class students of the forward community.
A bench of Justice DK Jain and Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly, while admitting the petition filed by three organisations, said “let the hearing be expedited.”
The bench sought Kerala government’s response on the petition even though the state counsel Ramesh Babu submitted the new Congress-led UDF ministry supported the reservation extended by the previous LDF government.
“You still can file your reply whether you are supporting the reservationafter the change of government, “the bench told the counsel.
Senior counsel PS Patwalia, appearing for one of the petitioner organisations, submitted the issue needs to be examined at length as according to him no reservation can be provided on the basis of economic criteria as held in the Indra Sawhney and other judgements of the Constitution bench.
A bench of the Supreme court had on August 12, after a brief hearing, adjourned the matter as one of the judges Justice H L Dattu, in the the bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi, recused from the case.
The Kerala High Court had dismissed the petition filed by the Kerala Muslim Jamaath Council, Christian Service Society and another organisation challenging the quota and at that time Justice Dattu was its Chief Justice.
The aggrieved organisations have moved a SLP against the high court’s judgement.
