SC seeks UP govt view on poll quota ruling

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Uttar Pradesh government whether it intended to contest the state high court’s finding that reservation in 38 municipal agencies, where elections are scheduled to be held, was flawed.

An apex court bench of justices asked Uttar Pradesh Advocate General Gaurav Bhatia whether the state government intended to challenge the findings of the Allahabad High Court.

The high court, while holding that repeating the reservation of the chairpersons of municipal agencies for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, the Other Backward Classes and women under the rotational system was contrary to the Uttar Pradesh local bodies’ statute, declined to stay the elections because the process for the same has already commenced.

The apex court adjourned the hearing of the matter till June 11 after Bhatia sought time to seek instructions. However, Bhatia told the court that the government has not taken a call on the findings of the high court as the verdict was delivered on June 1 and the government is yet to receive the copy of the judgment.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard a petition challenging the Uttar Pradesh government’s notification on reservations in 38 local agencies, where elections are scheduled to be held in the coming weeks.

The apex court’s vacation bench had directed the matter to be listed on Thursday when counsel D K Garg mentioned it before the court on Tuesday. The petition sought a stay on the government's May 23 notification identifying the municipal agencies whose chairpersons would be subject to reservation for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, the Other Backward Classes and women. The four-phase election process for these agencies would conclude July 8.