SC questions method

Amid the raging controversy over the manner in which the 27% quota for the OBC students in central educational institutions has been implemented, the Supreme Court on Monday sought to know if linking it to the cut-off of the general category was a correct method.

Amid the raging controversy over the manner in which the 27% quota for the OBC students in central educational institutions has been implemented, the Supreme Court on Monday sought to know if linking it to the cut-off of the general category was a correct method.

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“The problem is arising because you are linking it to a non-constant figure,” a bench headed by justice RV Raveendran said referring to the fixing OBC cut-off 10% below the general category cut-off. It said if such a method was followed, many OBC seats would go to general category.

Appearing for anti-reservation petitioners, counsel said the Constitution Bench, which upheld the validity of a law providing for 27% reservation to the OBCs in central educational institutions in April 2008, had clarified it months later.

He said the October 14, 2008, order of the Constitution Bench made it amply clear that it is cut-off and not just eligibility marks. On behalf of pro-reservation groups, it was submitted that the current method of implementing the OBC quota was wrong.

The court has fixed July 12 as the next date of hearing.