Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka High Court has ruled that a single community cannot be placed under two different reservation categories for education and employment.
The ruling came in response to a petition filed by V Sumitra, a resident of Kollegal taluk in the erstwhile Mysuru district, who challenged the state's classification of the Balajiga/Banajiga community.
Justice Suraj Govindaraj, delivering the verdict recently, directed the Karnataka government to uniformly classify the Balajiga/Banajiga community under Group 'B', both for educational and employment purposes.
The court observed that the state's existing classification, which places the community under Group 'B' for education (under Article 15(4)) and Group 'D' for employment (under Article 16(4)), was discriminatory and unconstitutional.
Sumitra was appointed as a primary school teacher in 1993 under the OBC quota as she claimed her caste belonged to Group 'B'.
However, in 1996, she received a notice stating that her community was categorised under Group 'D' for employment, rendering her caste certificate invalid for job-related reservation.
Following several failed attempts at redressal through departmental appeals and the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal, Sumitra discovered a 1986 government notification showing this dual classification.
Arguing that the constitutional intent behind Articles 15(4) and 16(4) is consistent and aimed at ensuring social justice for the same disadvantaged groups, she challenged the state's classification, calling it contradictory.
Justice Govindaraj upheld her argument, stating, "The principle of equality before law under Article 14 encompasses equal treatment in the matter of reservations as well. The same community cannot be placed in different groups depending on the context — such a division is inherently discriminatory."
The court held that any such differential treatment violates constitutional protections and affirmative action must be uniform in its application.
"If a community is identified as backwards for education, it cannot be treated differently when it comes to employment," the judge observed.
Declaring the dual classification "void ab initio", the High Court quashed the orders that had rejected Sumitra's claim to Group 'B' reservation in employment.
It also directed the state to continue her employment as a primary school teacher, acknowledging her eligibility under the reservation group 'B'.
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Patna (PTI): Former Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav, who was recently expelled from the RJD by his father and founding president Lalu Prasad, has announced that he would contest the upcoming Bihar assembly elections from Mahua seat in Vaishali district as an Independent candidate.
He is currently the MLA of Hasanpur seat in Samastipur district.
Speaking to reporters at his residence here on Saturday evening, he said, "Yes, this time, I will contest the elections from Mahua assembly seat as an Independent candidate. My opponents must have started to feel an itch."
"I have people's support... a large number of people are now connected with my 'Team Tej Pratap Yadav', a social media platform to reach out to people," he added.
He further claimed that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would not retain his post after the assembly polls.
"I am confident that 'chacha' (Nitish) will not become the CM... those who would form the government, if they talk about youths, employment, education, and health, Tej Pratap Yadav will stand with them," he said.
The former Bihar minister was expelled from the party on May 25 by his father Lalu Prasad for six years.
He was expelled a day after he reportedly confessed on social media to being "in a relationship" with a woman named Anushka.
He, however, later deleted the Facebook post with a claim that his page was "hacked". Lalu Prasad also disowned Tej Pratap due to his "irresponsible behaviour".
A few days after his expulsion from the party, Tej Pratap had alleged that there was a "conspiracy" to drive a wedge between him and his younger brother Tejashwi Yadav.
He had voiced his sentiments in a couple of posts on his X handle, blaming the crisis on 'Jaichand', a metaphor for traitors.
His expulsion came barely a few months ahead of the Bihar assembly polls, which the RJD will fight under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav. Born to Prasad and Rabri Devi, both former chief ministers of Bihar, the two brothers are among four of nine siblings active in politics.
Tej Pratap Yadav had made his political debut in the assembly polls of 2015, and is a second-term MLA with two brief stints in the state cabinet.