Andhra Pradesh High Court set aside 4.5 Per Cent Sub-Quota for Minorities

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on 28 May 2012 invalidated the 4.5 per cent sub-quota for minorities carved out of the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs by the Union government.

A high court division bench of Chief Justice Madan Lokur and Justice P V Sanjay Kumar quashed the sub-quota as it observed that the Union government’s move was based on religious lines and not any other consideration.

The court was hearing to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by backward classes leader R Krishnaiah against the sub-quota. The Union Government will move to the Supreme Court against the high court verdict.

The court also refuted the Union Government’s claim that the decision to provide sub-quota to the minorities was based on their backwardness and not on religious grounds. The bench  observed that the very use of the words “belonging to minorities” or “for minorities” indicates that the sub-quota has been carved out only on religious grounds and not on any other intelligible basis.