West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has rejected the Calcutta High Court’s decision to cancel all Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates issued after 2010 by the state government.
The High Court, in a ruling on May 22, deemed these certificates illegal and ordered a new list to be prepared under the West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes Act of 1993. The court’s decision affects approximately 5 lakh OBC certificates issued between 2011 and 2014.
However, it specified that individuals who secured jobs or are in the process of recruitment under the OBC quota post-2010 would not be impacted. Certificates issued before 2010 remain valid. The High Court struck down several sections of the West Bengal Backward Classes (Other than Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) (Reservation of Vacancies in Services and Posts) Act, 2012, declaring them unconstitutional.
The judgment followed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in 2011, which challenged the process of granting OBC certificates post-2010, arguing it bypassed the 1993 Act and failed to properly serve genuine backward classes. In response, Banerjee accused the BJP of orchestrating the decision for political gain ahead of elections, describing it as a “kalankit chapter” in the country’s history.
She affirmed that OBC reservations would continue in the state, stressing that the original legislation was passed by the cabinet and assembly based on comprehensive surveys. Banerjee criticized the BJP for allegedly exploiting government agencies to influence the court’s decision and questioned why similar policies in BJP-ruled states were not scrutinized.
She also refuted claims that minorities would encroach upon reservations meant for Scheduled Castes and Tribes, asserting that such reservations are constitutionally guaranteed. Banerjee’s strong stance against the High Court order highlights ongoing tensions between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP, with implications for the state’s OBC community and upcoming electoral dynamics. The West Bengal Backward Classes Commission is now tasked with preparing a new list of OBCs, which will need approval from the state assembly.
