The Centre has decided to appeal to the Supreme Court against the Andhra Pradesh High Court order that quashed the 4.5 per cent sub quota to minorities in jobs and educational institutions under the Centre.
The Opposition party, BJP, however, said the move is to appease the minorities.
The Law Minister, Mr Salman Khurshid, who also in charge of the minorities affairs ministry, said the government will address the issue with a sense of urgency as admissions for professional institutions are about to start. “We will go to the Supreme Court by way of a Special Leave Petition (SLP) against the Andhra Pradesh High Court order,” Mr Khurshid told a press conference here on Tuesday.
Without revealing the government's possible strategy in the apex court, the Minister said the Government's decision to provide sub quota was in tune with the Constitution and after keeping in mind the verdict of the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney vs Union of India case.
He said the government will move as quickly as possible in the case.
“The Attorney-General will come only next week and then we can take a call on how to go on it. We want to go as quickly as possible,” Mr Khurshid said.
Mr Khurshid added that the Government will try its best to make it sure that the high court's decision will not affect the admissions to IITs. “I have spoken to the HRD Minister (Mr Kapil Sibal).
He says that the selection to IITs is not completed. But if anybody has secured admission in IIT, he can go to the Supreme Court,” he added.
The BJP criticised the Government's position. The party said religion based reservation is not legally sustainable as per the Constitution.
“I think the Law Minister would know better. But I think he does not stand a ground on this,” the BJP spokesperson, Ms Nirmala Sitaraman said.