SC Slams Political Interference in Muslim Reservation Case, Stresses Sanctity of Judicial Process

New Delhi (India), May 9, 2023: The Supreme Court expressed strong disapproval today of political statements made regarding an ongoing case concerning the withdrawal of a four percent reservation for Muslims in Karnataka.

Emphasizing the need to maintain sanctity when there is a court order, the top court adjourned the pleas against the Karnataka government’s decision to eliminate the long-standing four percent reservation for Muslims in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category in the state until July.

The court firmly stated that public statements should not be made on subjudice matters and clarified that they have no connection to politics. The petitioners raised concerns about a recent statement made by Home Minister Amit Shah, where he expressed pride in his party’s withdrawal of the quota for Muslims ahead of the Karnataka elections on May 10.

The Supreme Court questioned why such statements should be made when the matter is sub judice. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, argued that the court was not informed about the context or content of Shah’s remark.

The court stressed the importance of maintaining discipline and differentiated between statements made by authorized individuals within the courtroom and those made by others in public places.

The bench decided to continue the interim orders passed in the previous hearing until further notice and listed the matter for July. The court had previously stated that the reservation granted by the previous regime in Karnataka, which allocated four percent of the reservation to Muslims, would continue until May 9, the eve of the assembly elections.

On April 26, the Karnataka government informed the court that it had consciously decided to eliminate religious-based reservation, as it is deemed unconstitutional, thereby revoking the provision of a four percent quota for the Muslim community.