Commission ready with questionnaire to collect empirical data on OBCs

The official added that the decision on beginning the process of gathering OBC data will be taken considering the Covid situation in the state. “The commission would decide its further line of action in the next meeting, which has not yet been scheduled,” said the official adding that a software also needs to be developed for entering OBC data.

In its order on March 4 last year, the Supreme Court, while reading down the OBC reservation in local bodies, asked the state government to comply with triple conditions — setting up a dedicated commission for empirical data of OBCs, specifying the proportion of reservation should not exceed 50 per cent ceiling, before notifying the seats reserved for the OBC category. It also stated that such reservation, in any case, shall not exceed the aggregate of 50 per cent of the total seats reserved in favour of SCs, STs and OBCs taken together.

Following the SC order, the government appointed the dedicated commission for empirical data of OBCs and also promulgated an ordinance to give up to 27 per cent reservation to the OBCs in local bodies without exceeding the 50 per cent ceiling limit of the reservation. However, the apex court stayed it, saying it cannot be implemented without the empirical data.