SC asks for pro-quota protest status report

The Supreme Court today ordered the Centre to ensure that no strike 8212; 8216;8216;for or against8217;8217; the proposed 27 per cent reservation policy for OBCs in educational institutions 8212; took place and asked it to submit a status report on the 8216;8216;protests and strikes8217;8217; resorted to by 8216;8216;pro-reservationists8217;8217; despite a May 31 order of the court against any form of protest over the issue. A vacation Bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and Altamas Kabir observed that 8216;8216;after the court is seized of the matter, any one can join the issue in the court8217;8217;.

The resident doctors8217; association of the AIIMS brought an application before the court contending that 8216;8216;within two days8217;8217; of the court8217;s May 31 order the 8216;8216;pro-quota doctors and students formed human chains in Delhi and other places of the country and paralysed work at several places8217;8217;. The court directed the Centre to file a report on the strike resorted to by the pro-quota doctors and students and took on record a report on the strikes resorted to by the anti-reservationists.

Solicitor general G.E. Vahanvati submitted the report stating that the anti-reservation strikes were already withdrawn and that there were 8216;8216;no reported strikes in government medical college hospitals8217;8217;. 8216;8216;The normal work of teaching and medical services is going smoothly8217;8217;, the status report submitted to the court said.

Vahanvati said the government was to yet ascertain whether the 8216;8216;pro-quota8217;8217; strike was going on.

Maharashtra Muslim institutes to hold separate CET

8226; NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday permitted minority institutions of the Muslim community in Maharashtra to hold a separate common entrance test CET for admission to professional courses for the 2006-07 academic year.

A vacation Bench allowed a plea of the Association of Muslim Minorities Technical Education Institutes, Maharashtra, challenging the government8217;s order asking it to take admission on the basis of the CET conducted by the state. 8212; ENS