Pro-domicile groups to move SC

JAMSHEDPUR: The pro-domicile tribal outfits have decided to move the Supreme Court against Jharkhand High Court''s decision limiting reservation quota to 50 per cent. All Jharkhand Students'' Union general secretary Surya Singh Besra and Jharkhand Party general secretary Shailendra Maithy announced at a joint press conference here on Friday they were "disappointed" at the high court''s interim order.The AJSU and the JP are among the 18-group cartel supporting the domicile and the reservation policies of the Babulal Marandi government. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha too would petition the apex court against the interim order.
A special bench of the high court on Thursday directed the state government to restrict the reservation quota to 50 per cent till the apex court''s verdict on Consumer Care Council case challenging Tamil Nadu''s 69 per cent reservation policy. The Marandi government had announced 73 per reservation for ST, SC, most backward castes and backward classes.
"We are disappointed at the judgment," Besra said, adding that states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Assam, and Manipur enjoyed special provision on quota policy following reorganization of the respective states.
"Why Jharkhand has been denied the benefit," he questioned. "It is among poorest state and the benefits of over 50 years of development has not reached the adivasis and the moolvasis."
The AJSU leader claimed that the court chose to ignore Article 16 (3) and 16 (4) of the Constitution. The high court interim arrangement has reduced the quota limit for ST to 22 per cent, SC 10 per cent, most backward castes 12 per cent and backward classes 6 per cent.