Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Hearing in Muslim quota case after apex ruling

Hyderabad: A five-judge bench of the High Court on Wednesday declared that the

hearing in the batch of cases filed challenging the reservation to select Muslim castes will be held after the Supreme Court delivers the judgment in the pending case wherein various issues pertaining to reservation are being adjudicated. The bench, however, refused to grant any stay till such time. Chief Justice G.S.Singhvi, Justice Bilal Nazki, Justice T.Meenakumari, Justice Prakash Rao , Justice D.S.R.Varma who are seniormost judges of the court assembled on Wednesday morning in the court hall of the Chief Justice to hear the batch of cases filed by students and social workers.

The Advocate-General brought to the notice of the court that a larger bench of the Supreme Court was seized of the matter pertaining to reservation. The bench asked for the response from the counsel of the petitioners. Four counsel appearing for the petitioners said that the issues were not exactly similar and the matter could be adjudicated. They further contended that the Supreme Court stay the operation of the ordinance and post the matter for hearing. They said that stay could be granted now and hearing deferred. It was pointed out that the State Government had the knowledge of the Supreme Court case prior to issuance of ordinance but chose to go ahead with the matter. The Chief Justice, speaking for the bench, said that constitutional propriety beckons the bench to defer the matter till the final judgment of the Supreme Court in the pending case. The bench was not inclined to pass any stay order but made it clear that any further admissions and so on into the various courses will be subject to the outcome of the case.

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