Orissa HC confirms SAT order on 50pc reservation

Cuttack, Apr 18: Orissa government has received a major setback in its &13;reservation policy with the High Court upholding a judgment of the State &13;Administrative Tribunal (SAT) Cuttack Bench of not exceeding reservation beyond &13;50 per cent in public services.

A Division Bench of the HC comprising &13;Chief Justice Ashok Kumar Ganguly and Justice Nityananda Prusty yesterday &13;confirmed the order passed by the SAT in 1998.

The Bench observed the &13;order of the tribunal being fully in consonant with the direction of the Supreme &13;Court (SC), there is no merit in the petition of the government challenging the &13;tribunal order.

The state government has passed a resolution on December &13;8, 1994 providing reservation up to 65.75 per cent in public &13;services.

The order was challenged by the successful candidates of Orissa &13;State Civil Services who moved the SAT Cuttack bench, which while pronouncing &13;the judgment on December 14, 1998 ordered that under no circumstances the &13;reservation could exceed 50 per cent as directed by the Apex court and directed &13;the state government to modify the 1994 order.

The SC in Inder Sahani vs &13;Centre case in 1993 observed that reservation in public service employment shall &13;not exceed 50 per cent of the available post.

The State government then &13;moved the HC against the Tribunal order in 1998 and got a stay order.

UNI