By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on 16th May gave permission to Andhra Pradesh government to go ahead with its counseling programme for backward Muslims whom the state government wanted to give 4% reservation in educational institutions.
According to Sahara Urdu news website, the Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, however, made it clear that none of the candidates will be given admission till an order is passed by the Apex Court.
The state government has challenged the stay imposed by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on providing 4% reservations to backward Muslims. In its petition, Andhra Pradesh government submitted that the reservation policy by the government for backward Muslims was constitutionally valid, so it should be allowed to implement the quota policy formulated under the AP Reservation in Favor of socially and Educationally Backward Classes of Muslims Act, 2007.
The government submitted to the apex court that the said Act was brought only after taking into consideration the report of the Andhra Pradesh Commission of Backward Classes on the basis of which the backward Muslims were identified for the purpose of extending the benefits of reservation to them. It also submitted that the said Act would not in any manner exceed the 50% reservation quota cap fixed by the apex court in the Indra Sawhney case.
The government was stopped by the seven-judge bench of the High Court on April 29 from implementing the 4% quota for backward Muslims until all the writ petitions filed before it were disposed of.
According to the state government, the Act would provide reservation to several Muslim groups like ‘dhobis’, ‘fakeer’, ‘quereshi’, ‘hajam’, ‘turka kash’ who are traditional occupation groups similar to their counterparts in the Hindu community who have been extended similar benefits. The Bench posted the matter for hearing after summer vacation.