West Bengal Removes 77 Muslim Communities from OBC List, Cuts Quota to 7%

The West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Monday passed two bills that significantly alter reservation policies for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The first bill removes 77 Muslim communities from the state's OBC list, complying with a Calcutta High Court order from May 2024. The second bill reduces the overall OBC reservation quota from 10 per cent to 7 per cent and amends the West Bengal Backward Classes Commission Act, 1993.

State Backward Classes Welfare Minister Gourishankar Ghosh stated that the inclusion of these 77 communities—done by the previous Trinamool Congress government—was cancelled because it was carried out "solely to grant special benefits to Muslims without conducting any survey," as per the High Court directive. He added that 66 communities that were included based on proper surveys have been retained. The West Bengal Backward Classes Commission will now reassess the socio-economic status of OBC communities, and the new legislation aims to curb the issuance of fake OBC certificates.

After coming to power in May, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government had announced its intention to revoke the OBC status of these 77 Muslim communities and reduce the reservation quota. Minister Ghosh said the bills fulfill a manifesto pledge to restore the original OBC list from 1993, which the previous government had altered without proper inquiry. He also noted that the bill passed with 186 votes, and the government plans to implement the Uniform Civil Code in the state starting next month.

Opposition members criticized the move. Indian Secular Front MLA Nawshad Siddiqui argued that any change in reservation limits requires empirical data or scientific assessment, as per Supreme Court guidelines. He expressed concern that reducing the quota would deprive these communities of opportunities in higher education and government jobs, and that the bill disregards the Mandal Commission's recommendations and undermines social justice.

The Calcutta High Court's May 2024 order had directed the state to review the OBC list and remove communities that were not properly surveyed. The court noted that the previous government had included many Muslim communities without following due process. The state government's action aligns with that directive.