In a significant ruling, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday cancelled all Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates issued in West Bengal after 2010. The court also directed authorities to prepare a new list of OBCs in accordance with the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993
Around five lakh OBC certificates are set to be cancelled following the court order.
The HC ruling that comes amid the ongoing general elections has sparked off a political debate with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserting that she will not accept the judgement.
“Those who have given the order should keep it to themselves. We will not accept the opinion of the BJP. OBC reservation continues and will always continue," she said, addressing a poll rally at Khardah in Dumdum Lok Sabha constituency.
Banerjee accused the BJP of conspiring to stall the OBC quota by using central agencies.
"Some people have gone to the court, moved a petition to sabotage the interest of OBCs and then this development takes place. How can the saffron party show such audacity?,” she said.
In its judgement, a division bench comprising justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Rajasekhar Mantha struck down several classes for reservation as OBCs given under the West Bengal Backward Classes (Other than Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) (Reservation of Vacancies in Services and Posts) Act, 2012.
It, however, clarified that the services of citizens of the struck down classes, who are already in service or have availed the benefit of reservation or have succeeded in any selection process of the state will not be affected by the order.
Rejecting the court order, Banerjee said: “The OBC reservation quota introduced by the West Bengal government will continue. We had drafted the Bill after conducting a house-to-house survey, and it was passed by the cabinet and the assembly.”
"If necessary, we will move a higher court (against the order)," the TMC supremo said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah welcomed the high court order and said Chief Minister Banerjee wants to “rob the reservation of backward classes for her vote bank and give that reservation to Muslim castes".
"Mamata Banerjee gave OBC reservation to 118 Muslim castes without any survey. Someone went to the court, the court took cognizance of this and all the certificates issued between 2010 and 2024 have been cancelled by the HC,” he said.
