Hyderabad, May 25: The Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday announced that extension of reservations for Muslims in government jobs and education will depend on the outcome of a writ petition in the Supreme Court even as it extended reservations for various backward classes for a further period of ten years."Extension of reservations for Muslims under Group-E of the quota system will be subject to the outcome of the writ petition pending before the Supreme Court," State Information and Public Relations Minister D K Aruna said.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the state Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy here today, Aruna said the Council of Ministers decided to extend reservations in jobs and education to backward classes by a further period of 10 years. The existing quota system would come to an end this month.
The upper age limit in respect of BC candidates has also been enhanced by five years, she added.
"The extension of reservations will be applicable to Groups A, B, C and D. In respect of Group E (Muslims), the government will act as per the orders of the Supreme Court," the Information Minister said.
Asked if the reservations for Muslims were being kept "on hold" pending disposal of the case in Supreme Court, Aruna initially replied in the affirmative. But, later upon prompting by officials, she said, "We will implement reservations for Muslims but depending on the Supreme Court verdict."
The Congress government had in 2006 started implementing five per cent reservation for Muslims in jobs and education but after the Supreme Court struck the policy down, the government reduced the quota to four per cent. Even this provision has been challenged and a case in this regard is still pending in the Supreme Court.
--PTI
