On Wednesday (22nd May), the Calcutta High Court cancelled an estimated 5 lakh Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates issued by the West Bengal government since 2010.
As per reports, certificates issued by the West Bengal government before 2010 will remain valid. This will not affect those who have secured employment under the OBC category after 2010.
Following the verdict, Mamata Banerjee has announced to not follow the verdict of the Calcutta High Court and continue to grant OBC reservations to groups that are now invalid.
The Calcutta High Court has canceled all OBC certificates issued in Bengal since 2011 under the current Trinamool Congress administration pic.twitter.com/36oDWLV4pv
— IANS (@ians_india) May 22, 2024
“I don’t accept Calcutta HC’s verdict. OBC reservation will continue as it is,” the West Bengal Chief Minister was quoted as saying by the West Bengal CM.
#BREAKING | "I don't accept Calcutta HC's verdict. OBC reservation will continue as it is": West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee
— Republic (@republic) May 22, 2024
Tune in here for all the latest updates – https://t.co/6Xgvs8HmFk #TMC #WestBengal #OBC #BJP pic.twitter.com/ugtqKc1HuV
In June 2023, the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) found that Rohingyas and illegal Bangladeshi immigrants had received Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates in West Bengal.
NCBC also found that there were more Muslim OBC castes in the state compared to Hindus (although the latter constitute the majority in West Bengal).
NCBC chief Hansraj Gangaram Ahir informed that 118 out of 179 castes, which were granted OBC status in West Bengal, belong to the Muslim community. The matter came to light during field surveys conducted between February and May 2023.
