Supreme Court Questions West Bengal’s Muslim Caste Quota

The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the West Bengal government regarding its decision to provide reservation to 77 Muslim castes in the state. This notice follows a petition challenging the decision by the West Bengal government against a ruling by the Calcutta High Court. The Calcutta High Court had recently overturned the classification of these 77 Muslim castes as Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and invalidated all OBC certificates issued in West Bengal since 2010.

The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra, has sought an explanation from the Mamata Banerjee administration. The court requested the state to file an affidavit detailing the process used to grant OBC status to these communities. Specifically, the court asked for clarification on the survey conducted and whether there was sufficient consultation with the Backward Classes Commission regarding the inclusion of these 77 castes. The court has instructed the government to explain the basis for the quota decision and provide details on any related consultations and procedures.

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