SC denies granting sub Quota to Religious Minorities in IITs

The Supreme Court has turned down the central government’s plea to suspend the operation of the Andhra Pradesh High Court verdict quashing 4.5 percent sub-quota reservation for religious minorities.

An apex court bench of Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice J.S. Khehar, declining to stay the Andhra Pradesh High Court order, said the 4.5 sub-quota for religious minorities set aside in the office memorandum in December 2011 within the overall 27 percent reservation for the Other Backward Classes was not “in conformity with Article 15 of the Constitution”.

Additional Solicitor General Gourab Banerji made all efforts that the apex court considers his plea for staying the high court order in view of the on going counselling for IITs for which 325 candidates have been short listed under the 4.5 per cent sub-quota for minorities.

However, the Bench said it was not inclined to stay the high court order and noted that there was ambiguity in the calculation for carving out sub-quota within the 27 percent OBC quota.