New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Centre and asked it to explain what's the basis of its decision to implement 27 per cent reservation for OBCs was taken.
A vacation Bench comprising Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice L S Panta asked the Government to answer three questions:
What is the basis of the norms for fixing the OBC category?
What is the rational behind fixing it?
If the reservation is implemented, what are the modalities and the basis for modalities?
"These questions have serious social and political ramifications and this court will deal with it appropriately," the Bench said while deciding to examine the effect of implementing the policy.
The court sought replies within eight weeks from ministries of Social Justice and Empowerment, Human Resource Development, Science and Technology, Commerce, Health and Department of Statistics and Programme.
The court’s order came on the basis of petitions filed by advocate Ashoka Kumar Thakur and Shiv Khera challenging the validity of the Constitution 93rd amendment extending reservation for OBCs.
Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanian, who accepted the notice on behalf of the Centre, said the court has touched upon the core issue relating to reservation.
The Bench requested students on strike against the OBC quota to give up their agitation as the court had decided to examine the entire issue.
Agitation won’t end
Medical students and doctors welcomed the order but made it clear they won’t end their agitation.
The faculty of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will go on a 24-hour hunger strike on Tuesday in support of the anti-quota agitation.
This could affect OPDs and other departments' work in the hospital.
Protestors have called for a bike rally on Tuesday and a medical bandh in Delhi on Wednesday.
Work at the Maulana Azad Medical College, the University College of Medical Sciences and the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi was affected on Monday after faculty members went on mass casual leave against the quota.
"Even private hospitals and clinics would close on Wednesday," said Dr Anirudh Lochan, a spokesman for the Youth For Equality group.
In a related development, students began relay hunger strikes against the quota at IIT Delhi and JNU.
In Ahmedabad, doctors are going on strike on Tuesday. There are protests in Bangalore, where medical students are taking out a rally on Tuesday morning. Doctors in Jammu are also on strike.
Meanwhile, the AIIMS administration on Monday cancelled interviews for recruitment of doctors.
The step followed an assurance from the Government that it would not take action against the striking doctors.
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