Following Calcutta HC directive, Bengal approves amended OBC reservation draft

NEW DELHI: The state cabinet on Monday approved the amended draft associated with OBC reservation as per directions of Calcutta High Court. The Backward Classes Welfare department presented an updated list of OBC before the cabinet which received go ahead.

As per the draft the number of communities which was 66 earlier has been curtailed to 64 and 76 new communities have been included afresh. Hence , the OBC communities in the state has gone upto 140 in the updated list.

According to Nabanna sources, the changes have been made as per the recent survey and recommendations of the state OBC Commission. The amended draft is scheduled to be placed in the monsoon session of the state legislative assembly which will start from June 9.

The matter associated with OBC reservation is pending before the judiciary and hence recruitment under this category has been pending.

In May 2024, the Calcutta High Court had quashed the decision to classify 77 communities, mostly Muslims as OBC . The state moved the apex court challenging the order and in March had informed the top court that a fresh exercise for the identification of OBC in the state will be conducted which will take around three months time.