Muslims too backward to enjoy reservation: AP govt tells SC

New Delhi, Oct 5 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh government today told the Supreme Court that Muslims in the state were too backward to avail them selves of the benefits of four per cent reservation provided to them in admission to professional courses.

The state government in its affidavit, sworn by Amitabh Bhattacharya, Principal Secretary to the state government, Backward Classes Welfare Department, stated that the Muslims in the state were so backward that they were not able to take up four per cent seats and the same were being released for the general category candidates so that seats do not go to waste.

A bench, comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran, while adjourning till October 12 the hearing of the petition challenging the government notification providing four per cent reservations to Muslims on the basis of religion, also extended till the same date the stay against the implementation of the impunged notification.

The state government also refuted the allegations that the reservation provided to socially and educationally backward classes of Muslims were religion based.

The government cited the example of 33 per cent reservation being given to women in the category of OBC resevation and the same cannot be called gender-based reservation.

The goverment contended before the court that the present petition had been filed against an interim order passed by the state High Court and was, therefore, not maintainable.

The petition was filed by T Murlidhar Rao and others.

UNI