'Why Were Muslims Given OBC Quota': Supreme Court Asks Mamata Banerjee's West Bengal Government On Calcutta HC Order

The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday (5 August) issued notice to the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government over 77 caste groups who were included in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) list.

A three-judge bunch led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra was hearing the plea filed by the state government against the Calcutta High Court (HC) order.

In its 22 May verdict, the Calcutta HC ordered canceling OBC certificates of 77 caste groups, of which 75 are Muslims. The decision was challenged by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in the apex court.

Taking note of the plea, the SC questioned the TMC government on which basis the Muslim caste groups were included in the OBC list and what process was followed by the state government, Jagran reported.

In an affidavit, the West Bengal government will have to disclose what survey was done to judge the backwardness of these caste groups and was the Backward Class Commission consulted before this.

The Left Front government included 42 groups in the OBC list in 2010, of which 41 groups were Muslims. After the TMC came to power in 2011, 35 more groups were added to the OBC list, of which 34 were Muslims.

West Bengal has 17 per cent OBC quota divided in two categories. OBC A has 10 per cent quota and it caters to 81 communities, of which 56 are Muslims. The other 7 per cent comes under OBC B quota that caters to 99 communities, of which 41 are Muslims.