Muslim quota dispute in Karnataka: Supreme Court issued strict order, said- ‘We will not allow…’

The Supreme Court on Tuesday took a serious note of political statements in question relating to withdrawal of four per cent Muslim quota in Karnataka, saying “some sanity needs to be maintained”.

A bench of Justices KM Joseph, BV Nagaratna and Ahsanuddin Amanullaj said, “When the matter is pending before the court and there is a court order on Karnataka Muslim quota, no political statement should be made on the issue. This is not right. Some sanity needs to be maintained”.

Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the petitioners challenging the abolition of the 4 per cent Muslim quota, said, “Every day the Home Minister is making statements in Karnataka that he has withdrawn the 4 per cent Muslim quota. Why should such statements be made?”

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Karnataka government, objected to the statements being made and said that he was not aware of any such comment and if someone was saying that there should be no quota on the basis of religion then what is wrong and that is a fact.

Justice Joseph said, ‘It is not a problem for the Solicitor General to make a statement in the court, but it is not appropriate to say anything outside the court on the pending matter. In 1971, a political leader was dragged up for contempt for holding a press conference against a court order”.

Dave said that these statements are being given daily. Mehta said the court needs to restrain Dave from making such statements in the court and use the court proceedings for the same.

“We will not allow this court to become a political platform,” the bench said. We are not in favor of this. We will adjourn the matter”.

At the outset, Mehta and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for members of the Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities, said they needed some respite from the hearing as a constitution bench case on same-sex marriage was on which they were arguing.

He assured that the interim order passed by the court would continue. Dave said that this should be the case till further orders. The bench then directed that the interim orders passed in the previous hearing shall continue till further orders and listed the matter for July.

On April 26, the Karnataka government told the apex court that it has taken a “conscious decision” not to continue with reservation based on religion alone as it is unconstitutional and, therefore, has struck down the provision of the four per cent quota. Muslim community.

The state government filed its reply on a batch of petitions challenging its two orders of March 27, which sought to end the four per cent quota for Muslims in the 2B category of ‘Other Backward Castes’ and increase Vokkaligas and Lingayats in admissions. Giving benefits of quota and appointments in government jobs.

The top court had said that the previous Karnataka government had extended four per cent reservation to Muslims till May 9, the eve of polling for the assembly elections, after the state government sought more time to file its reply.