SC issues notice to Centre on plea by Tamil Nadu to implement 50% OBC quota in all India seats

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Union government on a plea by Tamil Nadu to implement 50% quota for OBCs in all India seats in medical colleges in the state as per rules of reservation in academic year 2020-21.

A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao, Hemant Gupta and S Ravindra Bhat sought a response within two weeks from the central government on a petition filed by Tamil Nadu government against the Madras HC's judgement of July 27.

The state government led by senior advocate V Giri and Additional Advocate General Balaji Srinivasan questioned non implementation of 50% reservation for Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and denotified community in admission to the seats contributed by the state to all India quota in undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma seats in medical and dental courses.

In its order, the High Court decided to form a committee to examine the matter and declined to issue any direction to the Centre and the Medical Council of India to implement the quota as per the plea by the Tamil Nadu government.

The HC had concluded that the Medical Council of India Regulations are silent as to whether the all India quota seats would also attract the law of reservation as applicable in the respective states.

According to the Medical Council of India’s Regulations, 1997, 15% of seats in all undergraduate medical colleges and 50% in all postgraduate medical colleges are surrendered to the all India quota.

The Tamil Nadu Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of appointments or posts in the Services under the State) Act, 1993, provided for 50% reservation for OBCs, besides 18% for SCs and 1% for STs.