AP High Court strikes down law on quota for Muslims

HYDERABAD: A Constitution bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court has struck down a state law providing 4 per cent reservation in educational institutions and jobs to 15 groups belonging to the Muslim community.

The order was passed by the seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Anil Ramesh Dave on a petition filed by an advocate K Kondala Rao.

Soon after the court's order, Chief Minister K Rosaiah directed the state advocate general D S R Murthy to file a special leave petition in the Supreme Court challenging the verdict.

"The state government is committed to providing 4 per cent reservation to backward class Muslims in the state," he said in a statement.

The court, in its order, set aside the state act and a subsequent 2007 government order allocating 4 per cent reservation to the Muslim groups in educational institutions and jobs.

Earlier, the state had moved a bill in the Assembly on the basis of a report submitted to it by the Andhra Pradesh Commission for Backward Classes. The bill was later passed by the Assembly.

The report had recommended that the socially and educationally backward should be adequately represented in the state.

The government order (GO) was issued on July 7, 2007 providing for the quota to the Muslim groups.