Govt to push for minority sub-quota in apex court

The Centre will move the Supreme Court before it reopens on July 2, challenging the recent Andhra Pradesh High Court judgement which struck down 4.5 per cent central sub-quota for minorities within the OBC quota, holding that reservations could not be based purely on religious grounds.

Announcing the government’s plan, Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said the petition will be filed in a manner that it is ready to be heard in the first week of July.

“I have spoken to Kapil Sibal (HRD minister). He has no worry at this point of time whether the benefit of 4.5 per cent sub-quota will be available to students this (academic) session... I asked him whether the time was short. The impression (he gave) was that it wasn’t,” he said.

4.5 per cent reservation

However, sources in the government said that the HRD Ministry was pressing for filing of the petition as early as next week as the AP High Court judgement had put in a quandary nearly 350 IIT aspirants who had been shortlisted under the sub-quota.

The HRD Ministry was of the view that filing of the petition could not be delayed as IIT counselling was slated for June 13 and admissions were on in various other universities.

Following the High Court judgement, IITs have recently advised all the shortlisted candidates to note that availability of 4.5 per cent reservation for OBC (non creamy layer-minority) will depend “on the legal developments till June 13”, suggesting that they register the choice of courses accordingly.