New Delhi, May 9 (). The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that the Union Home Minister should not make a public statement after the court was informed about the statement made regarding Muslim reservation in Karnataka.
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing the petitioners, referred to a statement made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah before a bench headed by Justice KM Joseph.
The bench said that the court cannot allow such politicization when we are hearing the matter. He further said, when the matter is sub-judice and before the apex court, such statements should not be made.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Karnataka government, submitted that any religion-based reservation is unconstitutional. The Home Minister has reportedly called Muslim reservation against the Constitution. Mehta denied having any knowledge of such a statement.
Dave argued that he can bring the minister’s statement on record before the court. The bench emphasized that the court has nothing to do with politics and should not make public statements on it.
The apex court recorded Mehta’s statement that no action would be taken on the March 27 decision of the state government to scrap the 4 per cent reservation for Muslims.
After the arguments, the bench adjourned the hearing of the matter till July.
The petitioners, including L Ghulam Rasool and others, have argued that the inclusion of the Muslim community in the EWS list is illegal.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had made some strong observations against the manner in which the Karnataka government scrapped the 4 per cent OBC quota for Muslims and placed them under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category, stating that the decision-making The basis of the process is highly unstable and flawed.
The apex court had said that the decision of the state government was prima facie based on misconception and was held to be erroneous as it was based on an interim report of a commission. The petitioners moved the apex court challenging the Karnataka government’s decision to abolish the Muslim quota.
PK/SKP
Follow Niharika Times for all the big news from India and abroad. Like us on Facebook and Twitter . Always visit Niharika Times for latest news.
