Tamil Nadu: Centre's decision on OBC reservation in All India quota medical seats in one week

Tamil Nadu: Centre's decision on OBC reservation in All India quota medical seats in one week

TNN | Jul 27, 2021, 05.48 AM IST

 

CHENNAI: The Centre’s decision on implementing OBC reservation for MBBS seats available under All India Quota (AIQ) in state government colleges is at a ‘very advanced stage’, the Madras high court was informed.

Solicitor-general Tushar Mehta made the submission to this effect before the first bench of chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy on Monday. He also sought a week’s time for the Centre to report further development. Recording the submission, the court posted the matter to August 2 for further hearing.

The submissions were made on a contempt plea moved by the DMK against the Union health ministry for failing to implement an high court order dated July 27, 2020, directing that the reservation be implemented from the current academic year.

On July 19, the court made it clear that the Centre has no other option but to implement the reservation from the current academic year. “Not to implement the reservation is not a choice,” the court had said.

The bench further made it clear that MBBS admission to medical courses in Tamil Nadu can be made only after implementing the reservation. The court then directed the Centre to indicate its considered stand as to the mode and manner of implementation of the OBC reservation quota within a week.

Earlier, senior advocate P Wilson contended that despite the clear direction of the court to implement the reservation from the current academic year, the Centre has taken a stand that it cannot implement the same pending disposal of the Saloni Kumari case before the Supreme Court. The apex court has already made it clear that the Saloni Kumari case has nothing to do with the present case. Despite such clarification, the Centre was refusing to implement the orders of the court, Wilson added.