The Madurai Bench of Madras high court set aside a Tamil Nadu legislation granting 10.5% reservation to the Vanniyar community within an existing 20% quota for the most backward classes (MBC) in the state.
It held the law to be unconstitutional.
It held that the state government is empowered to do internal reservation.
It asked how the percentage of 10.5% had been arrived with no clear caste census.
The court clarified that the order nullifying the reservation will not impact those who have been admitted to institutions under the quota.
Background
The law carving 10.5% reservation for Vanniyar within 20% reservation for Most Backward Classes (MBCs) was notified by the previous AIADMK government on February 26 in 2021.
The present Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government issued an order to fully implement the reservation.