SC moved over quota for backward Muslims in AP

Two students on Monday filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court, challenging the decision of the Andhra Pradesh Health University to grant four percent reservation in admissions for backward Muslims.

According to the petition filed by Shravan Kumar and another student, the University's decision was in violation of the apex court earlier direction wherein it ordered that the State could only conduct counselling, but no admissions.

The petitioners alleged that in violation of the direction the University was conducting admissions.

The Supreme Court had on May 16, allowed the Andhra Pradesh government to go ahead with the counselling process for providing four percent reservations to backward Muslims in educational institutions.

However, a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, made it clear that none of the candidates will be given admission till any order was passed by it. It posted the matter for hearing after summer vacation.

The state government has challenged the stay imposed by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on providing four percent reservations to backward Muslims.

In its petition, Andhra Pradesh government submitted that the reservation sought to be provided to backward Muslims was Constitutionally valid and hence it be allowed to implement the quota policy formulated under the AP Reservation in Favour of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes of Muslims Act, 2007.