New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Maharashtra government on the status of admissions to postgraduate medical and dental courses under 10 per cent quota for candidates, who have identified themselves from the economically weaker section (EWS).
A petition was moved in the apex court seeking directions to the state not to go ahead and implement 10 per cent reservation for EWS across all classes in the medical and dental postgraduate courses for the current academic year.
After hearing the initial argument, a vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose asked the state government to inform it on the status of the admissions.
The government had introduced a constitutional amendment bill, which gave 10 per cent reservation for EWS candidates across all classes in jobs and admission. The Bill was cleared by both Houses of Parliament and was signed into law by the President.
Maharashtra government counsel Nishant R Katneshwarkar informed the bench that the government has already implemented the 10 per cent reservation and as a result, seats allocated under the quota for the current academic year have been accordingly awarded to the candidates.
The court has asked Nishant to bring his arguments on record and file an affidavit. The court has scheduled the hearing of the matter later this week.
Petitions have been filed in the apex court challenging the validity of the Constitution (103 Amendment) Act, 2019 regarding EWS reservation in jobs and education.
The court had refused to stay the Centre’s decision, but agreed to look at the validity of the law. The quota covers over existing 50 per cent reservation to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.
[source_without_link]IANS[/source_without_link]