Supreme Court to hear Centres quota issue petition

The Supreme Court will today hear the Centres application seeking removal of a stay on the implementation of 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) students in admission to institutions of higher education.

New Delhi, July 31 : The Supreme Court will today hear the Centre's application seeking removal of a stay on the implementation of 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) students in admission to institutions of higher education.

The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan had adjourned the hearing for today when it would give direction regarding referring the matter to a constitutional bench.

The apex court had earlier reserved its order on the issue on May 9.

A bench comprising of Justices Arijit Pasayat and Justice L S Panta had then asked Solicitor General G E Vahanvati and senior advocate Harish Salve to respond to various questions put forward by concerned parties.

In a major setback to the Centre, the apex court had stated that it found no reason to vacate the stay imposed by its March 29 interim order, directing the government to put on hold the implementation of OBC quota in the academic session 2007-08.

The government wants to increase the number of seats in colleges for lower caste students to 49.5 percent from 22.5 percent, a move strongly opposed by mainly upper caste students.

ANI