Hyderabad: When the 4 per cent quota case comes up for hearing in the Supreme Court on Monday, the Telangana state government will utilise the opportunity to raise Muslim quota to 12 per cent in the state.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has deputed Deputy CM Mohd Mahmood Ali to be present in the Supre-me Court along with senior advocates to put forth strong argument in favour of 12 per cent quota.
The previous Congress government headed by Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy had introduced the 4 per cent quota for Muslims in education and jobs in 2004 but it is stuck in legal dispute. The case is still pending in the Supreme Court.
The Telangana state government had constituted a commission in March 2015 to study the socio-economic and educational status of Muslims in Telagnana and recommend increase in quota as a follow-up on the TRS poll promise to provide 12 percent reservation to Muslims.
The three-member commission headed by retired IAS officer G. Sudhir is currently touring all the districts to study the condition of Muslims in the state and is expected to submit its report to the government by this year-end.
Mr Rao directed Dr Mahmood Ali and senior advocates to bring to the notice of Supreme Court the backwardness of Muslim communities in the state and the Telangana state government’s efforts to raise the quota to 12 per cent for their uplift.
The 4 per cent quota case came up in Supreme Court in February this year. Senior Congress leader and leader of opposition in TS Legislative Council Mohd Shabbir Ali who was present in the court then accused the TS government of not sending its representative to put forth strong arguments in favour of Muslim quota though it was denied later by TS government, which said that its senior advocates were very much present in the court.
To avoid such controversies now, Mr Rao has deputed Dr Mahmood Ali to be present in the court on Monday when the case comes up. Dr Ali, who left for New Delhi on Sunday said, “The CM is committed to give 12 per cent quota to Muslims as promised during polls. We will put strong argument before the SC.”
KCR likely to hand out a few jobs
With TRS plenary set to begin on April 27 in Khammam, party functionaries expect Chief Minister K. Chandra-sekhar Rao to clear at least a few appointments for the nominated posts in various public sector institutions before the event.
During the party plenary held here last year, Mr Rao had asked ministers to prepare lists of nominated posts and collect applications from party cadre. Ministers have submitted the lists to Chief Minister a year ago but appointments were been deferred due to GHMC polls and other pressing engagements.
Mr Rao had promised to fill nominated posts within three months but could not fulfil it. “We got information from the CMO that he is keen to clear a few appointments before the plenary,” said a key TRS functionary.
The delay was attributed to leaders from Opposition parties joining TRS and the need to adjust them all is the problem, said another party member, who is tipped to head a PSU. Mr Rao has suffered sun stroke and expected to be back in action by April 20. “It is a matter of few minutes to clear the appointments,” said a party leader.
