The
Supreme Court directed the West Bengal government on Monday to clarify the
criteria used to classify 77 communities, predominantly Muslim, as Other
Backward Classes (OBC), according to a report by the Hindustan Times. In May,
the Calcutta High Court had deemed the classification process unlawful,
prompting the state to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The
Supreme Court has asked the West Bengal government to present verifiable data
on the social and economic disadvantages and the insufficient representation in
public sector jobs of the communities included in the OBC list for quota
benefits.
“Issue
notice, including on the application of stay (of the judgement filed by the
state government). The state of West Bengal shall file an affidavit before this
court explaining the process followed for classification of 77 communities as
OBCs: (1) the nature of survey; (2) whether there was a lack of consultation
with the Commission (state backward panel) in respect of any communities in the
list of 77 communities designated as OBCs,” a Bench comprising Chief Justice of
India DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra stated.
The
Bench also asked if any consultation was done for the sub-classification of the
OBCs by the state.