The question of OBC reservation in local bodies

The apex court’s latest order makes it mandatory that the principles laid down by the Supreme Court must be followed across the country

Reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in local body elections sans empirical base can no more be sustainable in law and the apex court’s latest order inRahul Ramesh Wagh v. State of Maharashtra &Ors.makes it mandatory that the principles laid down by the Supreme Court for providing reservation to OBCs in local bodies shall be scrupulously followed across the country. The latest order arises out of the challenge made to the ordinance promulgated on the teeth of the Supreme Court judgments by the Governor of Maharashtra to conduct the local body elections by providing 27% reservation to OBCs.