Madhya Pradesh HC Questions Caste Bias In EWS Eligibility, Gives State Govt Two Weeks For Detailed Response

Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh High Court has given two-week time to the state government to file a detailed response on depriving Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) of the benefits under Economically Weaker Section (EWS) reservation.

During a hearing on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed against vertical implementation EWS on Friday, the court raised critical concerns about caste-based discrimination in determining economic eligibility and granted the state government two week to submit its response on the matter.

The court questioned why economic criteria are applied differently for different castes, asking the government to provide clarity on this matter.

Initially, the state government requested a week’s time to prepare its response. Acknowledging the complexity of the matter, the High Court extended the deadline, allowing up to two weeks for a detailed and comprehensive explanation.

The court also emphasised that the state government must carefully study the Supreme Court's decision on EWS reservation to ensure their response addresses all legal aspects of the issue.

The next hearing has been scheduled after the two-week period, giving the government time to address the High Court’s concerns and submit a well-reasoned reply.