A very important case is being heard by the Madhya Pradesh High Court and relates to the 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). There are 86 petitions on the case list. The Supreme Court of India, on February 19, transferred the matter to the High Court, instructing that the hearing be completed within three months.
Meanwhile, Jitu Patwari, president of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), has been very critical of the state government’s approach to the issue. In the current hearing, Patwari accused the government of the current practice, as it shows negligence and injustice to the OBC communities.
According to him, the case brought before the court and the government’s position have led to the suffering of OBC families. He feels that those who won jobs with the OBC quota are experiencing uncertainty and mental strain owing to the drawn-out judicial battle. Patwari also argued that the government does not even seem to know what to do regarding representation by a lawyer in court.
Emphasizing procedural issues, he claimed that problems with adjournments are costing the state, as lawyers are being paid high sums while the case is postponed. According to him, this lateness is tantamount to delaying the benefits segment of reservations and generating panic among students and job seekers.
On the issue of enforcement of past rulings, Patwari also charged the government with failing to abide by previous rulings, citing the Kamal Nath-initiated policy. He also blamed the current situation on the Bharatiya Janata Party, which had ruled and had served as Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The High Court has been pressuring the state to make unambiguous submissions, as the outcome of the case is likely to have far-reaching effects on reservation policies and on thousands of candidates awaiting the outcome.