Supreme Court to hear pleas on 50% reservation in all-India quota seats for medical courses

The Supreme Court will hear a batch of petitions filed by the Tamil Nadu government and political parties like DMK, AIADMK and others for 50 percent reservation in medical courses in all-India quota seats in the state.

In MBBS and MD/MS courses, 15% and 50% seats, respectively, are filled from all-India quota in state colleges.

Meanwhile, on June 9, AIADMK had moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre to implement 50% reservation for the OBC in undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma medical seats of the all India quota as per the mandate of the state law.

Also read — AIADMK moves SC for 50% reservation for OBCs in medical courses in Tamil Nadu

A writ petition, filed by party leader and state law minister C Ve Shanmugham, contended that denying reservation in state-surrendered seats to the all-India quota (other than central educational institutions) was unconstitutional, and violative of the basic feature of the Constitution. This was also ultra vires Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution.

The petitioner maintained that the party has a long history as a vanguard for the rights of oppressed and socially disadvantaged groups.