Hearing on Muslim quota plea on Mar 22

The Supreme Court will hear the petition filed by the Andhra Pradesh government challenging the State High Court’s verdict over four per cent reservation in educational institutions and jobs to Muslims on March 22.

Appearing for the State government, Attorney General G E Vahanvati pleaded that the plea be heard urgently as the issue is important and requires arguments.

Mr Vahanvati’s plea was immediately opposed by senior advocate and BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad who said that there was no need for urgent hearing on the appeal as the Andhra Pradesh government had envisaged reservation for Muslims on religious basis.

Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad was representing some of the appellants on whose petition the AP High Court had passed the judgement holding unsustainable the Andhra Pradesh Reservation in favour of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes of Muslims Act, 2007.

Mr Vahanvati argued that there was urgency in the matter as the High Court has struck down the entire law providing reservations for Muslims.

A seven-judge Constitution bench of the AP High Court had by a majority judgement of 5:2 held that the

law providing 4 per cent reservation to backward class Muslims in the state was "unsustainable" and violative of Article 14, 15(1) and 16 (2) of the Constitution.