Centre submits relevant documents before SC on sub-quota issue

Additional Solicitor General Gourab Banerji mentioned the issue and placed the documents before a bench comprising justices K S Radhakrishnan and J S Khehar, which had yesterday asked the Ministry of Human Resources Development to place the material by today.

The apex court, which had yesterday refused to stay the Andhra Pradesh High Court order quashing the 4.5 per cent sub- quota for minorities within the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in central educational institutions, had posted the matter for hearing on Wednesday.

The bench had ticked off the government for the way it had handled the "complex" and "sensitive" issue.

The apex court had also expressed its "unhappiness" that the Centre was blaming the High Court when it had itself failed to produce documents to support its case.

The bench was critical of the Ministry of Human Resource Development rushing to the apex court with the appeal against the May 28 order of the High Court without documents to justify the policy of carving out 4.5 per cent sub-quota within the 27 per cent OBC reservation.

The Union government had moved the apex court challenging the High Court order quashing the 4.5 per cent sub quota for minorities.

The December 22, 2011 Office Memorandum for the sub-quota for socially and educationally backward classes of citizens belonging to minority communities in central educational institutions and jobs was announced by the Centre ahead of the Assembly elections in five states including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.