SC refuses to vacate stay on 4% reservation to Muslims in admission

New Delhi, May 16 (UNI) The Supreme Court today refused to vacate the interim stay order on admissions to Muslim candidates on the basis of four per cent reservation, which the Andhra Pradesh Government wants to provide them in Medical Sciences as well as in other professional courses.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices H K Sema and P P Naolekar, however, permitted the AP government to go ahead with the conselling for admission in Medical Sciences courses but no admission shall be given on the basis of impugned government notification providing four per cent reservation to Muslims for admissions into courses.

According to the AP government, most of the Muslims in the state are socially and educationally backward and therefore they are entitled to such reservation so that the community may be uplifted.

The petitioner in the High Court, however, had contended that since there is no caste system in the Muslim society and the reservation policy is not applicable to minorities, therefore the state government notification is liable to be quashed as unconstitutional and illegal.

The apex court adjourned the hearing till July because the court will re-open after summer vacation on July 7.

UNI SC PY RP KN2103