BREAKING: Madhya Pradesh's 27% OBC Quota Struck Down by High Court as 'Unconstitutional'

The High Court on [date] struck down the Madhya Pradesh government's law that provided 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in educational institutions and public employment, terming it 'unconstitutional'. The judgment came after years of hearings on a batch of petitions filed by students from unreserved categories who had challenged the Amendment Act of August 2019.

The petitioners argued that the quota exceeded the 50% ceiling on reservations set by the Supreme Court and lacked sufficient empirical data to justify the increase. The court, while delivering the verdict, held that the state failed to demonstrate the backwardness of the OBCs in the context of the reservation. The August 2019 Amendment Act had raised the OBC quota from 14% to 27%, bringing the total reservation in the state to 63%, which was challenged as violative of the constitutional provisions.

The ruling is a significant blow to the state government's efforts to expand affirmative action. It is likely to have political repercussions, with opposition parties potentially using it to criticize the government's handling of social justice issues. The state government may consider appealing the decision in the Supreme Court. The judgment also adds to the ongoing national debate on reservation policies and the 50% cap, with other states potentially reviewing their own quota laws.