2 hrs ago
Madhya Pradesh High Court Restores OBC Quota to 14%
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that the state cannot use a 27% quota for Other Backward Classes in government jobs and higher education.
The quota will return to 14%.
The higher quota came from a law passed in 2019.
The judges said the reasons needed to go beyond the 50% reservation limit had not been shown.
Some job openings had been kept unfilled while the case was in court.
Recruitment agencies must fill those posts within three months, using the unreserved category selection list.
The court also said appointments made using an OBC quota above 14% were invalid.
It rejected separate requests about EWS and horizontal reservation.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court struck down the 2019 law raising OBC reservation from 14% to 27%.
A division bench ruled the enhanced quota unconstitutional and said the 50% reservation ceiling must be followed.
Recruitment agencies were directed to fill the 13% of posts held back during the litigation within three months.
The court said appointments made under OBC reservation exceeding 14% were invalid.
The court allowed petitions challenging the increase but dismissed petitions seeking separate relief on EWS and horizontal reservation.
- Who
- The Madhya Pradesh High Court, in a division bench of Justices Anand Pathak and Vinay Saraf.
- What
- The court struck down the law increasing OBC reservation to 27% and restored the 14% quota.
- Where
- Madhya Pradesh, India.
- When
- The ruling was issued on Friday; the court had reserved judgment on August 5, 2026.
- Why
- The court said the required exceptional circumstances for raising the quota had not been established and the 50% reservation ceiling had to be followed.
Key facts
- Previous OBC quota
- 14%
- Quota struck down
- 27%
- Law challenged
- A 2019 amendment introduced under the Kamal Nath-led Congress government.
- Posts held back
- 13% of posts in affected recruitment processes.
- Deadline
- Recruitment agencies must complete the directed process within a maximum of three months.
- Agencies named
- Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Board and other recruitment agencies.
- Petitions
- The ruling followed a joint hearing of several connected petitions.
Sources
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