SC adjourns hearing on 4% Muslim quota for a week

Hyderabad: The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday adjourned the hearing in the case of 4% Muslims reservation in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana for a week.

The case was listed today before a bench of five judges Justice Arun Mishra, Justice Indira Banarjee, Justice Vineet Saran, Justice M R Shah and Justice Anirudh Bose. Senior counsel Rajiv Dhavan represented the case on behalf of Backward Classes Dept, Govt of Telangana. Senior advocates Salman Khursheed and Shakeel Ahmed were present as counsel of Mohammed Ali Shabbir in the Supreme Court on Tuesday. The case was adjourned for a week following a request by Rajiv Dhawan on behalf of all petitioners.

Former Minister and ex-Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir is one of the petitioners along with Telangana & AP Governments to save reservations given by the then Chief Minister Dr. Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy Government in 2004. Shabbir Ali played the main role in giving 5% reservation to Muslims in jobs and education. However, the quota was reduced to 4% following directions of AP High Court. This was again in the challenged in the High Court and was struck down. Therefore, the State Government approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay. Shabbir Ali also impleaded in the case as a petitioner.

The Supreme Court had granted the stay on implementation of 4% Muslim reservation on March 25, 2010, and ordered the continuation of quota for 14 categories listed under BC-E Group until further orders and referred the matter to a Constitutional Bench.