MP govt withdraws petition against OBC candidates demanding selection under 27 pc reservation

Bhopal, Aug 27 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) on Wednesday filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court to withdraw an application it had filed to challenge the petition of selected Other Backward Class (OBC) candidates.

On August 8, OBC candidates filed a petition demanding that they be provided the benefit of 27 per cent reservation. However, in response to that, the Commission had filed a counter-affidavit to challenge the petition.

Now, the Commission on Wednesday filed a fresh affidavit in the court to withdraw its counter-affidavit.

Confirming the report, advocate Varun Thakur, who is presenting the OBC Maha Sabha in the case, told IANS that the Commission also tendered an unconditional apology.

However, the MPPSC also told the Supreme Court that the previous affidavit was filed by mistake, which is why it was withdrawn, and it would file a fresh counter-affidavit to challenge the petition of OBC candidates in the coming days.

The development came a day before the Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led Madhya Pradesh government called for an all-party meeting to discuss on matter of 27 per cent reservation for OBC candidates on August 28.

Responding to the matter, state Congress chief Jitu Patwari claimed the government decided to withdraw its counter petition after Congress had raised the matter during the press conference on Wednesday.

"When I revealed the truth (about MPPSC's counter affidavit) through a press conference on Wednesday, the BJP started making false accusations to divert public attention. But the power of truth always prevails, as a result BJP government today not only withdrew its counter petition but tendered an apology in the court," Patwari said, referring to the BJP's allegation of making 'anti-women' remarks.

Notably, Congress on Wednesday had also accused the BJP government of spending Rs 100 crores on legal efforts to block the reservation, while publicly claiming support for it.

The previous Kamal Nath-led Congress government in 2019 had approved a 27 per cent reservation for OBCs, and the decision was challenged in the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

The matter later reached the Supreme Court for further judicial scrutiny.

--IANS

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