SC blocks UPA’s quota proposal

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New Delhi, Mar 7: The UPA government's ambitious project to win over the OBCs by providing 27% reservation for socially and economically backward classes in premier educational institutions from this academic session seemed to have hit a major hurdle with the Supreme Court on Wednesday questioning the rationale behind the legislation.

Seeking to know how it had arrived at the basis for providing quota for deprived classes in institutions like IITs and IIMs, the apex court cautioned the government against implementing it in a hurry.

"Without relevant determinable data, how can we go ahead with the Act," observed a Bench comprising Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice L S Panta. "Unless and until it is determined by the Centre who is socially and economically backward, this Act cannot really be given effect," the Bench said as anti-quota petitioners in their application claimed that while implementing the OBC quota, the government is considering a 75-year-old census data to identify the beneficiaries.The Centre, however, maintained that implementing the provision of the newly-enacted legislation would not take away the rights of the general category candidates as adequate care has been taken by enhancing the seats proportionately.