Madras HC directs TN govt to issue EWS certificate to an UPSC aspirant from 'Reddy' community

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the State to issue economic weaker section (EWS) certificate to an UPSC aspirant from Hindu Reddy community to enable her participation in the ensuing examination.

Justice Anita Sumanth quashed the tahsildar's order refusing EWS certificate to the UPSC aspirant and raised a question why there is a difference between the list of Backward Castes (BC) in the Union and State lists as the assessment of relevant parameters for such categorisation are expected to be one and the same.

Since, the Hindu Reddy (Kanjam) caste is not part of OBC Union list for Tamil Nadu, the petitioner is entitled to the benefit of EWS reservation, wrote the judge.

Petitioner G.Harini from Perambalur moved the HC seeking to quash the order issued by refusing EWS reservation to her.

The petitioner belongs to Hindu Reddy (Kanjam) caste, which has been notified by Tamil Nadu as a Backward Caste ('BC'), but does not fall under OBC in the Union list.

Believing she is entitled for reservation under EWS quota as per the 2019 order issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India, the petitioner approached the tahsildar of Kunnam taluk, Perambalur.

However, the tahsildar rejected her EWS quota request since her caste falls under the BC category, in the State list.

Contending the rejection has been done mechanically, and without really looking into the Scheme at all, the petitioner sought to quash the rejection order.

A comparison of the Union list of OBCs for the State of Tamil Nadu and the State list of BC's in Tamil Nadu reveals that there are 252 Backward Castes notified by the State, whereas there are only 180 OBCs as notified by the Union, read the judgment.