The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the West Bengal government a three-month extension to conduct a fresh study on the eligibility criteria for Other Backward Classes (OBC) listings in the state.
The decision comes amid an ongoing legal battle concerning the validity of OBC certificates issued after 2010.
During the hearing, the West Bengal government informed the apex court that it had initiated a new survey, in compliance with the directive of the Calcutta High Court. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the state, urged the court to defer the ongoing case for three months to allow time for a comprehensive reassessment.
The request was granted by a bench headed by Justice B.R. Gavai.
Justice Gavai, while granting the extension, remarked, “We got some relief from an important case,” as he scheduled the next hearing after July. The court also stated that the proceedings in the case would ultimately depend on the findings of the fresh survey.
The dispute originated last year when a case was filed in the Calcutta High Court alleging irregularities in the issuance of OBC certificates in West Bengal. On May 22, 2023, a division bench of Justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Rajasekhar Mantha declared all OBC certificates issued after 2010 invalid.
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The ruling affected approximately 12 lakh beneficiaries, creating uncertainty for those relying on OBC status for reservations in education and employment.
In response, the West Bengal government and the Backward Classes Welfare Department challenged the High Court’s verdict in the Supreme Court, seeking relief for those affected.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, the Supreme Court asked if the petitioners opposing the state’s stance had any objections to the fresh survey. The state’s counsel pointed out that the opposing parties had also demanded a reassessment of the OBC certification process, implying there should be no objections to the study.
After hearing both sides, the court approved the state’s request for a three-month extension but clarified that the final outcome of the case would still be determined based on legal proceedings.
The next hearing is scheduled for after July, keeping thousands of OBC certificate holders in Bengal awaiting further clarity on their status.
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