A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court has observed that the State government has prima facie failed in adhering to its statutory obligation of periodic revision of the State’s Other Backward Classes (OBC) list.
The Bench headed by Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy made the observation on Friday when a petition filed by V.K. Beeran of the Minority Indians Planning and Vigilance Commission Trust, Aluva, seeking revision of Kerala’s OBC list came up for hearing. The petitioner sought a declaration that the Muslim community was entitled to all benefits available to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The Bench observed there was prima facie failure on the part of the State government in adhering to the statutory obligation under Section 11 of the Kerala State Backward Classes Act, 1993 with regard to carrying out the periodic revision of the OBC list. “Moreover, the Socio-Economic Caste Survey also has not been conducted though it is a pre-condition which must precede the revision exercise,” the court added.