Calcutta High Court cancels OBC certificates issued after 2010

new Delhi, May 22

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday cancelled all OBC certificates issued in West Bengal after 2010. It directed the West Bengal Backward Classes Commission to prepare a new list of OBCs in accordance with the 1993 Act.

Those who were in the OBC list before 2010 would remain. However after 2010, OBC nominations have been cancelled. About 5 lakh OBC certificates are set to be cancelled.

After 2010, those who have jobs under the OBC quota or are in the process of getting them cannot be excluded from the quota. There will be no impact on their job and they cannot be excluded from the quota.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she would not accept the order and OBC reservation would continue in the state. PM Narendra Modi called the Calcutta HC’s order a “slap on the INDI Alliance” and alleged the TMC gave Muslims OBC certificates for “vote bank politics”.

“This is appeasement. These people say Muslims have the first right over the country’s resources. These people are giving government land to the waqf board to get them to vote for them. They want to reserve a 15 per cent Budget for minorities. They want to give loans and government tenders on the basis of religion,” PM Modi said at a rally.

Speaking at a rally at Khardah, Banerjee said OBC reservation would continue in the state, as the Bill was passed within the framework of the Constitution. “The OBC reservation introduced by the West Bengal government will continue. We had drafted the Bill after conducting a house-to-house survey, and it was passed by the Cabinet and Assembly,” she said.

“The BJP has conspired to stall it by using central agencies. How can the saffron party show such audacity?” the TMC supremo said.