Day before polling day, SC frowns at Shah's statements on scrapping of Muslim quota

NT Correspondent

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday voiced displeasure over political statements being made about withdrawal of four per cent quota for Muslims in poll bound Karnataka, after it was told Union Home Minister Amit Shah was making public statements about the hugely contentious issue at the hustings. Terming as "inappropriate" the political statements about the matter which is sub-judice, the apex court asserted "Some sanctity needs to be maintained".

The withdrawal of four per cent reservation for Muslims and its reallocation between the politically influential Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities just before the assembly elections has become a hot issue in the southern state. "When the matter is pending before the court and there is a court order on the Karnataka Muslim quota, then there should not be any political statements on the issue. It is not appropriate.

Some sanctity needs to be maintained," a bench of Justices KM Joseph, BV Nagarathna and Ahsanuddin Amanullah said. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the petitioners who have challenged the scrapping of the Muslim quota by the state's BJP government, said, "Every day the home minister is making statements in Karnataka that they have withdrawn the four per cent Muslim quota. Why should such statements be made?"

"Solicitor General making a statement in the court is not a problem but someone saying anything on a sub-judice matter outside the court is not appropriate. In 1971, a West Bengal political leader was hauled up for contempt for holding a press conference defending a rationing order which was pending before the court," Justice Joseph said.