New Delhi (IANS) | The Karnataka government on Tuesday assured the Supreme Court that it would not act on its March 27 verdict scrapping the 4 per cent Muslim quota in the OBC category for jobs and education. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Karnataka government, said he would file a reply during the day. Justice K.M. Joseph and B.V. Nagaratna’s bench will now hear the matter on May 9.
The apex court ordered that the earlier arrangement would continue till the next date of hearing as Tushar Mehta sought an adjournment in the matter.
The Solicitor General has demanded the court to hear the matter some other day.
The bench said that as per the assurance of the Solicitor General no appointment would be made and there would be no prejudice to any dispute.
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the petitioners, opposed Mehta’s request for adjournment of the matter, saying the hearing has already been postponed four times.
Dave said that they would do it again and the petitioners would be affected by it. Mehta said that the interim order passed by the court is already with the petitioners.
Mehta had said on April 18 that the Karnataka government needed more time to file its affidavit.
The apex court adjourned the hearing till April 25.
The state government had assured on April 13 that it would neither grant admissions to educational institutions nor make job appointments as per its March 27 order.
The Supreme Court had made some strong observations against the way the Karnataka government scrapped the 4 per cent OBC quota for Muslims and placed them under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category. It said that the foundation of the decision-making process is highly unstable and flawed.
The top court had told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Karnataka government, that it appears from the order passed by you that the foundation of the decision-making process is highly untenable and flawed. It is on an interim report, the state could have waited for a final report, what is the hurry?
The petitioners have challenged the Karnataka government’s decision to abolish the Muslim quota in the apex court.
–IANS
