The Madhya Pradesh High Court strikes down the state’s 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) introduced through an August 2019 amendment. The court holds that the law is unconstitutional and that Madhya Pradesh did not establish sufficient grounds to breach India’s 50% reservation ceiling. Petitions brought by students and other applicants from unreserved categories challenging the enhanced quota are dismissed in part, with the OBC quota reduced to its earlier level.
Across reports, the ruling is described as retaining OBC reservation at 14% while impacting recruitment tied to the disputed higher quota. The court allows protection for OBC candidates who were appointed under the enhanced quota during a defined period between March 2019 and September 29, 2022. It also orders that appointments on certain posts kept on hold be filled within three months, with directions that candidates from unreserved categories be considered for those roles.
The decision is followed by political controversy. BJP and Congress both trade blame over how the case was argued and over the basis for increasing OBC reservation in 2019, with each side questioning the other’s studies, pleadings, and handling of the quota issue. Additional reporting notes that parties plan to pursue further legal steps, including potentially approaching the Supreme Court.
