Supreme Court Remarks on OBC Reservations: A Political Railway Compartment?
The Supreme Court compared the reservation process to a train compartment, where those inside resist new entrants. The court reviewed OBC reservation in Maharashtra local elections, discussing the balance between political and social backwardness. The state's response is awaited as elections proceed amid legal reviews.
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The Supreme Court, in a recent session, likened India's reservation process to a train compartment, suggesting that once individuals benefit, they resist further inclusivity. This analogy was drawn during a hearing on the contentious issue of OBC reservations in Maharashtra's local body elections.
Justice Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh debated the necessity to discern between politically and socially backward classes. The court reviewed arguments regarding the 27% OBC reservation awarded by Maharashtra's Jayant Kumar Banthia Commission, critiqued for not substantiating political backwardness.
As elections are scheduled, the Supreme Court issued notices for state responses, emphasizing urgency with a four-week poll notification directive. However, the electoral outcomes await verdicts from pending petitions, underscoring ongoing legal complexities in reservation policies.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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