Supreme Court Stays Calcutta High Court’s Decision on Bengal’s OBC List

• The Supreme Court stayed a Calcutta High Court decision to freeze West Bengal’s new list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

• Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai criticized the order, stating it was erroneous.

• The High Court had ordered the stay on June 17 based on a plea that a new list could only be prepared if the exercise was backed by legislation.

• West Bengal had withdrawn its appeal against a High Court judgment in May 2024, which struck down a State policy to include several castes, largely Muslim communities, in the OBC list.

• The High Court concluded religion was the “sole criterion for declaring these communities as OBC.”

• The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) welcomed the order, while opposition Congress and CPI(M) argued the State government should take care of OBC interests.