Madras High Court quashes 10.5% internal reservation for Vanniyakula Kshatriyas in Tamil Nadu – India Today

Chennai News

The Madras High Court on Monday set aside the provision for 10.5 per cent internal reservation for Vanniyakula Kshatriyas in education and public employment in Tamil Nadu.

The bench comprising Justice M Duraisamy and Justice Murali Shankar said the law, which was announced by the previous AIADMK government and implemented by the current DMK government, was ‘unconstitutional’.

As per the law, 10.5 per cent of the 20 per cent reservation for Most Backward Classes (MBC) in education and public employment in Tamil Nadu was earmarked for the Vanniyakula Kshatriya community.

‘POLITICAL MOTIVE’

A set of writ petitions were filed challenging the law. In several southern districts of the state, agitations were also held and people claimed that the internal reservation had been provided with a “political motive”.

The announcement for providing 10.5 per cent international reservations for the Vanniyakula Kshatriya community was made only moments before the model code of conduct for the Assembly election earlier this year came into force. The AIADMK government made the announcement as per the demand of its allied party, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), which sought 20 per cent internal reservation for the community.

The Tamil Nadu government has maintained that the internal reservation for the Vanniyakula Kshatriya community has not affected other communities that come under MBC.

PMK CHIEF REACTS

Reacting to the court’s order, PMK chief S Ramadoss and Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader T Velmurugan have requested the state government to appeal against the court’s order.

S Ramadoss said the court’s order was unacceptable and that several students had already acquired admissions under the quota and been employed. He said it is Chief Minister MK Stalin’s duty to appeal against the court’s order.

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Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/madras-high-court-quashes-internal-reservation-vanniyakula-kshatriyas-tamil-nadu-1872046-2021-11-01