The bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna is hearing a challenge to the recent Karnataka government move to scrap the 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in the State under the OBC category.
As per the government order, the Muslim community will be now eligible for reservation under the 10 percent Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) category.
The earlier 4 percent is now to be distributed equally among the Veerashaiva-Lingayats and Vokkaligas.
The bench had, earlier this month, questioned the rationale behind the same. It had orally observed that the government had relied on an interim report rather than a final report to come to its decision.
“This government order is based on completely fallacious assumptions...prima facie the order passed appears to suggest that the foundation of your decision makng is shaky,” Justice Joseph had remarked.
The Court, however, did not issue a stay on the assurance of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Karnataka government, that no appointments or admissions will be made pursuant to the government order in question till the next date of hearing.
Source: Barandbench
