The Supreme Court said extra quota could not be created without first creating additional seats

The Supreme Court today ruled, in an interim order, that quotas for Economically Weaker Sections will not be applicable for admission to postgraduate medical and dental courses in Maharashtra this year. A total of 25 students admitted under this quota are expected to suffer.

In its order, the Supreme Court overruled the state government's argument that EWS quotas had been filled already and must not be disturbed. The court pointed out that the admission process had started in November whereas the amendment for EWS was passed in January and Maharashtra came out with the notification in March.

It also said the additional quota could not be created at cost to others unless additional seats are created by the Medical Council of India.

The court had earlier asked the state government to apprise it of the status of admissions under the quota, while hearing a petition seeking to direct the state not to implement the quota this year.

In January the Modi government announced 10 per cent reservation in government jobs and higher education for economically weaker sections in the general category and said it would move a constitutional amendment bill to bring it into effect.

The quota will be over and above the existing 50 per cent reservation to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha had cleared the bill on January 8 and 9 respectively, and it was signed by President Ram Nath Kovind.

The top court is seized of a batch of petitions challenging the validity of the Constitution (103 Amendment) Act, 2019 which allows grant of quota in jobs and education to EWS.

It earlier refused to stay the Centre's decision but agreed to examine the validity of the law.