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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Days after interim stay, contempt plea in HC over ‘OBC list' in college portal
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday allowed a contempt petition to be filed against the West Bengal government for allegedly violating the stay on the interim Other Backward Classes (OBC) list in undergraduate college admissions in the state. Petitioner Purabi Das approached the Division Bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Ritobrata Kumar Mitra, alleging that despite the High Court's interim stay on the new OBC list, the state-run college admission portal continues to display reservation under the OBC-A and OBC-B categories. 'We stated that in the recent college admissions portal, the Tuesday's order of the High Court is not being followed. Thus, it is a contempt of court. We have made the chief secretary and secretary, Education Department, a party in the matter,' counsel Bikram Banerjee said. On Wednesday, the college admission process for undergraduates began through the government's centralised portal for over nine lakh seats across 7,229 undergraduate courses in 460 state and state-aided colleges. A day earlier, at the launch of the portal, State Education Minister Bratya Basu had said the interim stay on the new OBC list would not affect the admission process. 'Should agricultural work stop because of predictions of drought or heavy rain? We will continue our work. If there is any instruction, we will take emergency measures,' the minister had said. On Tuesday, the Division bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Rajasekhar Mantha, while putting a stay on reservations to 140 subsections under OBC-A and OBC-B categories till July 31, had said that OBC certificates issued before 2010 under the 1993 law would remain valid for employment and education.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Provide info on OBC surveys': West Bengal govt gets notice from National Commission for Backward Classes
The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) issued a notice last week to West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Panth, seeking detailed information on the surveys conducted for the newly announced Other Backward Classes (OBC) list in the state within three days. According to NCBC sources, they are yet to receive a response, and they may send another notice. The notice came before a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Rajasekhar Mantha, observed on Tuesday that the state's recent OBC notifications may not have been issued in accordance with the law. According to sources, the NCBC sought clarity on the criteria and methodology used by the state to prepare the updated OBC list. The commission has specifically asked for details of the surveys purportedly conducted prior to the inclusion of several castes in the list. Last Tuesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, addressing the state Assembly, presented a report on the revised OBC list. She announced an increase in OBC reservation from 7 percent to 10 percent, with 49 castes under the OBC-A category and 91 castes under OBC-B. The Chief Minister stated that extremely backward castes were placed under the OBC-A category. However, the next day, a petition was filed in the Calcutta High Court challenging the list. The petitioner questioned how such a survey could have been conducted so quickly and whether due legal and procedural norms were followed. Meanwhile, NCBC Chairperson Hansraj Gangaram Ahir posted on X, stating: 'NCBC has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal, seeking replies in response to NCBC's earlier notice dated December 22, 2023, and subsequent letter… dated February 19, 2024. Time of three to six months was sought (by the state) to provide the information. Despite a lapse of more than a year, the requisite information is still awaited.' Ahir noted that several castes had been notified in the state's OBC list through three executive notifications dated June 3, 2025, saying that they mention that the listings were based on 'detailed surveys'. The NCBC had asked the state government to submit the recommendations of the West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes along with full survey reports—particularly information pertaining to 'points 13(C), 13(D), and 19(a) of the official proforma'—within three working days, along with supporting documents. On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court imposed an interim stay on the state's notifications regarding 140 subsections under the OBC-A and OBC-B categories. The stay will remain in effect until July 31. The petition challenging the list was filed by Amal Chandra Das. The bench clarified that individuals holding OBC certificates issued prior to 2010 will remain eligible for employment and education benefits. However, it reiterated its previous ruling from May 2024, which struck down OBC status for several classes—77 classes granted between April and September 2010, and 37 classes added under the West Bengal Reservation Act, 2012. This ruling is currently under challenge before the Supreme Court, where the matter remains sub judice.
Scroll.in
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Calcutta HC stays implementation of new West Bengal OBC list
The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday stayed the implementation of a West Bengal government notification classifying 140 communities as Other Backward Classes, Bar and Bench reported. A bench comprising Justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Rajasekhar Mantha told the state government not to take steps based on the list till July 31, when the case will be heard next. The West Bengal government had earlier this month issued a notification adding 76 sub-castes to the Other Backward Classes category, taking the total number of communities in the grouping to 140. Out of these, 80 communities are from among Muslims, while 60 are non-Muslims, The Indian Express reported. Muslims comprise 57.1% of the population included in the OBC category. The state government's previous list of OBCs had 113 sub-groups, of which 77 were Muslims and 36 non-Muslims. However, the High Court had in May 2024 struck down the list, and had reduced OBC reservations from 17% to 7%, The Times of India reported. The new list would allow the state government to restore OBC reservations to 17%. The High Court's May 2024 decision was expected to affect nearly five lakh certificates. The state government's challenge to the verdict is pending before the Supreme Court. Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the new list prepared by the government amounted to contempt of court, and alleged that the Trinamool Congress government was trying to provide reservations in education institutes and government jobs on the basis of religion. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader claimed that before 2010, there were 66 communities in the OBC list, of which only 11 were from among Muslims, The Indian Express reported. However, the Trinamool Congress said that backwardness, and not religion, was the criterion for groups being included in the OBC list. It accused the BJP of trying to pit Hindus against Muslims and following a 'divide and rule' policy.
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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Calcutta HC grants interim stay on WB's OBC list notification till Jul 31
The bench warned that the executive cannot bypass legislative procedures, stating that half the process was followed and the rest done unilaterally ANI General News The Calcutta High Court on Monday gave an interim stay on the West Bengal government's recently issued notifications on the OBC list till July 31. This order is a big setback for the Mamata government. A division bench comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Raja Sekhar Mantha passed the interim order while hearing petitions challenging the state's classification of communities under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Judges said that necessary steps should be taken regarding the 66 communities belonging to the OBC category. In this latest OBC notification there are listed 140 communities. However, OBC certificates issued before 2010 under the 1993 law remain valid for employment and admissions. The bench warned that the executive cannot bypass legislative procedures, stating that half the process was followed and the rest done unilaterally. Petitioners claimed the survey was flawed, with limited samples and negligible changes from the earlier list. The state admitted that college admissions and recruitment are stalled due to the case. During the hearing, Solicitor General Ashok Chakraborty, representing the Centre, pointed out that the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) had sought clarification from the state on how Muslim and OBC classifications were identified. The NCBC minutes mentioned that several communities had converted from Hinduism to Islam, complicating census data. Justice Rajasekhar Mantha raised the question to state, saying, "You have done half the work according to the 2012 OBC Act. Then you have gone back to the 1993 Act. Why is this? Why didn't you amend the 2012 Act? You have been providing benefits for the last 15 years. The law says that a survey has to be done after 10 years. That survey has not been done.
India Gazette
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Calcutta HC grants interim stay on WB Govt's OBC list notification till July 31
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 18 (ANI): The Calcutta High Court on Monday gave an interim stay on the West Bengal government's recently issued notifications on the OBC list till July 31. This order is a big setback for the Mamata government. A division bench comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Raja Sekhar Mantha passed the interim order while hearing petitions challenging the state's classification of communities under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Judges said that necessary steps should be taken regarding the 66 communities belonging to the OBC category. In this latest OBC notification there are listed 140 communities. However, OBC certificates issued before 2010 under the 1993 law remain valid for employment and admissions. The bench warned that the executive cannot bypass legislative procedures, stating that half the process was followed and the rest done unilaterally. Petitioners claimed the survey was flawed, with limited samples and negligible changes from the earlier list. The state admitted that college admissions and recruitment are stalled due to the case. During the hearing, Solicitor General Ashok Chakraborty, representing the Centre, pointed out that the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) had sought clarification from the state on how Muslim and OBC classifications were identified. The NCBC minutes mentioned that several communities had converted from Hinduism to Islam, complicating census data. Justice Rajasekhar Mantha raised the question to state, saying, 'You have done half the work according to the 2012 OBC Act. Then you have gone back to the 1993 Act. Why is this? Why didn't you amend the 2012 Act? You have been providing benefits for the last 15 years. The law says that a survey has to be done after 10 years. That survey has not been done.' (ANI)
