SC to hear UP's plea on HC order on local body polls' notification on Jan 4

Supreme Court agreed to hear on Jan 4 the UP govt's appeal challenging an Allahabad HC order quashing its draft notification on urban local body elections and directing it to hold the polls

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on January 4 the Uttar Pradesh government's appeal challenging an Allahabad High Court order quashing its draft notification on urban local body elections and directing it to hold the polls without reservation for other backward classes.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state government, saying the matter needed an urgent hearing. "We will take it the day after tomorrow," the bench said.

The state government in its appeal against the December 27 order has said the high court cannot quash the December 5 draft notification which provides for reservation of seats in the urban body polls for other backward classes (OBCs) apart from those for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and women.

The appeal, filed through advocate on record Ruchira Goel, said OBCs are a constitutionally protected section and the high court erred in quashing the draft notification.

The Uttar Pradesh government recently appointed a five-member commission for going into the entire gamut of issues for providing reservation to OBCs in urban local body polls.