The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday upheld the Constitutional validity of the Haryana Backward Classes Act 2016, providing reservation to six communities including Jat under newly created BC (C) category. The Court then referred the petition on the Jat reservation to the National Commission for Backward Classes, which will have to submit its report by March 31, 2018. Till then, the reservation to these communities will be put on hold.
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The Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admissions in Educational Institutions) Act, 2016, passed unanimously by the Haryana Assembly in March, 2016, provided reservation to Jat, Jat Sikh, Muslim-Jat, Bishnoi, Ror and Tyagi communities under a newly created BC (C) category.
However, on May 26, 2016, a division bench of the HC had stayed the reservation to these communities after hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the constitutional validity of schedule-III (block-C) of The Haryana Backward Classes (reservation in services and admission in educational in stitutions) Act 2016.
The Haryana Government has maintained that Jat is backward community, hence they should be awarded reservation, whereas the petitioner has maintained that the Jats represent about 30-56% of various posts.
The district administration and police authorities were on high alert in anticipation of the verdict today.