Parliament?s quota report sought by SC

IN AN order that could trigger another face-off between the judiciary and Parliament, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the government to place before it the report of a Parliamentary Standing Committee that is examining the bill providing for OBC quota in higher-education institutions.

IN AN order that could trigger another face-off between the judiciary and Parliament, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the government to place before it the report of a Parliamentary Standing Committee that is examining the bill providing for OBC quota in higher-education institutions.

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A bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and Lokeshwar Singh Panta gave this directive while hearing a public interest petition challenging the government's decision to provide 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in central universities, IITs and IIMs. "We direct that a copy of the Standing Committee report be placed before this court in a sealed cover," the bench said.

Earlier, Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanian had said the bill was introduced in Parliament in the last session and that the Standing Committee was examining it. Without issuing a restraint order, the court indicated it would not like the government to take a final decision before it had examined the issue.

The case will be heard again on December 4. The government was quick to hit back at the SC directive.