Deprived sections can't be denied of quota benefits: SC

Setting aside a Delhi High Court's verdict that selected persons cannot be accorded quota benefits on account of non-submission of Other Backward Class (OBC) certificate before the cut off date, the Supreme Court referred to an earlier High Court verdict that had said the candidature of SC and ST category candidates could not be rejected simply on account of the late submission of caste certificate.

The Supreme Court has set aside a Delhi High Court verdict which held that selected persons cannot be accorded quota benefits on account of non-submission of OBC certificate before cut off date. A bench, comprising Chief Justice TS Thakur, referred to an earlier High Court verdict that had said that the candidature of SC and ST category candidates could not be rejected simply on account of the late submission of caste certificate.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice TS Thakur held that the object of providing reservation to the SC, ST and educationally and socially backward classes of the society is to remove inequality in public employment. The court said weaker sections should not be deprived of reservation as they have been facing centuries of oppression.

Some candidates, who had applied for posts of staff nurse in the Delhi Government's Health Department in 2008, had failed to furnish their OBC certificate before the last date. The candidates moved the High Court against denial of employment.

The single judge Bench asked Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board to reconsider the application of appellant and the other aggrieved candidates against OBC category within a period of one month.

The division Bench of the High Court had, however, reversed the order.