Hearing petitions challenging scrapping 4% Muslim quota in Karnataka deferred to April 25 by SC

New Delhi: The Karnataka state administration requested more time to prepare its response after which the Supreme Court on Tuesday postponed till April 25 the hearing of a number of petitions contesting the removal of the 4% Muslim quota in the state.

The assurance issued by the state government on April 13 that Vokkaligas and Lingayats would not receive quota benefits in admission to educational institutions and appointment to government positions would remain in effect until April 25, according to a bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna.

At the outset, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state government, said he has to argue before the constitution bench on same-sex marriage and they will compile the reply on the issue of quota over the weekend.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for some of the petitioners challenging the scrapping of the quota, did not object to the state's request but said that if they are given the reply over the weekend, they could go through it before the next date of hearing on April 25.

The bench then listed the matter for further hearing on April 25.

On April 13, the Karnataka government's decision to scrap the four per cent Muslim quota ahead of the assembly polls came under the scanner of the Supreme Court, which questioned the government order and said prima facie it appeared to be on a "highly shaky ground" and "flawed".

Taking note of the observations, the Karnataka government had assured the top court that it will put on hold its March 24 order by which it had given quotas in admission to educational institutions and appointment in government jobs to Vokkaligas and Lingayats, till the next date of hearing.

The four per cent reservation for Muslims was to be equally split between the two communities.

The top court said from the records tabled before it appears that the Karnataka government's decision is based on an "absolutely fallacious assumption".

The top court had earlier given time till April 17 to the state government and counsel representing members of Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities to file their response to a batch of petitions challenging the government order and had recorded that no admissions or appointments will be made till April 18 based on the impugned order.

The state's BJP government headed by Basavaraj Bommai decided to scrap the four per cent reservation for Muslims in government jobs and educational institutions weeks ahead of the state assembly polls on May 10.

The state government announced two new categories of reservation and divided the four per cent Muslim quota between the Vokkaligas and Lingayats, the two numerically dominant and politically influential communities. Muslims who are eligible for quotas were categorised under the economically weaker sections.

The state government's decision has pushed the reservation limit to around 57 per cent now.

With PTI inputs