New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed the March 4, 2014, notification by the then UPA government extending OBC reservation to Jats in nine states, ignoring the recommendation of the National Commission for Backward Classes to the contrary.
An apex court bench of Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman said: "We can't agree that politically organised Jats are backward class so as to be entitled to OBC reservation."
"Inclusion of politically organised class such as Jats... can't be affirmed," said Justice Gogoi pronouncing the judgment.
The court said that inclusion of politically organised castes like Jats in the OBC list is not good for other backward classes.
The UPA government had announced reservation for Jats in 2014 by including them in the OBC category on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections. However, a group of petitioners claimed that Jats were politically and socially advanced and that the decision to extend reservation to them was electorally motivated.