SC stays Maharashtra govt's order on 10 pc EWS quota

The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed Maharashtra government's order to give 10 per cent reservation to Post-Graduate medical students belonging to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in the general category in the state for academic year 2019-20.

A vacation bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and also comprising of Justice Aniruddha Bose, while hearing the petition filed by Janhit Abhiyan, stayed the government notification on EWS category reservation case.

As a result of this, 25 students who have been admitted under EWS quota in various medical colleges in the state might lose quota seat for the year.

CJI Gogoi said that at this stage, the state can act under the enabling provisions and introduce reservation but unless additional seats are created by the Medical Council of India (MCI), the existing seats cannot be subjected to EWS reservation amendment.

The writ petition was filed by Janhit Abhiyan, seeking a direction from the apex court, not to implement the EWS quota to postgraduate medical admissions in the state of Maharashtra for this year.

During the last hearing, the SC sought a reply from the Maharashtra government and the Medical Council of India (MCI) on the plea.

In February, the Maharashtra government had issued a notification after the state Cabinet approved the Centre's decision to implement 10 per cent reservation to EWS students among the general category in government jobs and educational institutions across the state.

The Parliament had passed the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, 2019, approving a 10 per cent reservation for economically backward sections in the general category in government jobs and academic institutions in January.