Hyderabad, September 21
The Andhra Pradesh High Court today struck down the July 12 government order (GO) providing 5 per cent reservation for Muslims in education and employment in the state.
The Bench observed that the order was ultra vires of Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution.
The writ petition was filed by Mr Muralidhara Rao, a VHP activist, questioning the Constitutional validity of the order.
A few Muslim organisations had also filed intervention petitions supporting the state government’s order.
The larger Bench, comprising Mr Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy, Mr Justice J. Chalameshwar, Mr Justice Ghulam Ahmed, Mr Justice A Gopal Reddy and Mr Justice K.C. Bhanu heard the
arguments.
The Bench directed the state government to reconstitute the Backward Classes Commission within three months.
The reconstituted commission should examine the proposal of the state government to include Muslims in the list of backward classes and
submit its report within six months after the reference had been made by the state government.
The Bench also directed the state government to ensure that the new
Backward Classes Commission also identified and evolved a mechanism to eliminate the creamy layer from time to time to maintain the 50 per reservation limit as directed by the apex court in the Indira Sahwney case of
1992. — UNI, PTI
