Supreme Court Directs West Bengal to Justify Inclusion of 77 Muslim Castes in OBC List on August 5

Aug 5, 2024, 11:33 AM

The Supreme Court of India has directed the West Bengal government to provide quantifiable data justifying the inclusion of 77 castes, predominantly Muslim communities, in the State’s Other Backward Classes (OBC) list. This follows a challenge to a Calcutta High Court order that had canceled OBC certificates for these groups. On August 5, the Supreme Court gave the West Bengal government an “opportunity” to justify the inclusion of these castes. The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the West Bengal government, seeking details on the survey and consultations conducted before the inclusion of these castes in the OBC list. The directive is significant for the Mamata Banerjee-led administration.