NEW DELHI: In a major blow to Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday ordered cellation of Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates issued after 2011.
The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday scrapped several classes as Other Backward Classes (OBC) under an Act of 2012 of West Bengal for reservation of vacancies in services and posts in the state, finding them illegal.
The court struck down several classes for reservation as Other Backward Classes (OBC) given under The West Bengal Backward Classes (Other than Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) (Reservation of Vacancies in Services and Posts) Act, 2012.
In a judgment on petitions challenging the provisions of the Act, the court stated 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.
According to the new order, the OBC certificate that was issued by the State Government now cannot be used to get any job or any facilities. Almost 5 lakh OBC certificates have been cancelled after this order.
The bench directed that the orders classifying 42 classes made by the state from March 5, 2010, till May 11, 2012, were also quashed, with prospective effect, given the illegality of the reports recommending such classification.
WEST BENGAL CHIEF MINISTER MAMATA BANERJEE REACTS TO HC ORDER
Reacting to the Calcutta High Court’s order, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the state government will “not allow” cutting the OBC reservation of minorities.
“Even today I heard a judge passing an order, who has been very famous. The Prime Minister is saying that minorities will take away the Tapasheeli reservation, can this ever happen? Minorities can never touch the Tapasheeli or tribal reservation, but these mischievous people (BJP) get their work done through agencies, they have got the order through someone but I will not accept this opinion…Those who have given the order should keep it to themselves, we will not accept the opinion of BJP, OBC reservation continues and will always continue…” the TMC supremo said.