JULY 11: The Bombay High Court has asked the state government to see to it that reservations in educational institutions do not exceed 50 per cent of the total number of seats.

The interim ruling comes in the wake of a petition filed by a student, Priti Koli, seeking admission in an engineering course under the Special Backward Category (SBC). Earlier, she was denied admission in a medical college following a court stay on reservations under SBC. While the matter of reservations in medical colleges is still sub-judice, Priti has filed another petition, this time seeking admission in an engineering college under the same category.

The government pleader, Shubhada Gokhale, said the admissions given so far can't be disturbed. However, she said the two per cent reservation under the SBC can be accommodated in OBC category. This way, she added, the total reservations can be restricted below 50 per cent.

However, the judges questioned as to how the government would accomplish this when the admission process has already been finalised. ``What happens if an open merit student moves the court challenging your pattern of admissions.''

Gokhale replied that the OBC seats are never fully filled and therefore the two per cent SBC seats can be accommodated. In architecture and pharmacy colleges, where admissions have yet not started, the SBC quota could be completely ruled out.

The government will file an affidavit in this regard on Monday. The judge asked the government to specifically quote the SC judgment in the affidavit.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.