High Court Limits OBC Quota to 14%, BJP Says Lack of Preparation Hurt OBCs

Jabalpur High Court delivered a decisive judgment on the OBC quota controversy, ruling that the reservation for Other Backward Classes in Madhya Pradesh cannot exceed 14 percent. The court said there was no substantive evidence to raise the ceiling to 27 percent, which would breach the constitutional 50‑percent ceiling on total reservations.

The BJP’s state leadership seized on the ruling to criticize the former Kamal Nath government, alleging that the lack of a comprehensive study in 2019 forced the OBC community into a “blind corner.” Senior party official Surendra Sharma pointed out that the Congress never acted on the Kalelkar Committee’s 1955 recommendations, whereas the BJP later embraced those suggestions after coming to power at the centre in 2014.

Sharma also referenced the Mandal Commission, noting that its recommendations were only implemented when the BJP‑led coalition was in charge of the central government under V.P. Singh. He stressed that the party has always been the champion of the disadvantaged, and that Mohan Yadav’s administration will seek a judicial review to protect OBC rights.

The high court’s decision has set the stage for a fresh legal battle, with the BJP promising to file an appeal and to ensure that the reservation framework respects both constitutional limits and the aspirations of the OBC electorate.