The West Bengal government has withdrawn its appeal before the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court’s judgment that had struck down the inclusion of 77 communities, mostly Muslim communities, in the State’s Other Backwards Classes (OBC) list. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana was told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state government, that the government wanted to withdraw the petition. The bench also permitted the State Backward Classes Commission to withdraw its separate appeal on the issue.
The previous Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government had moved the apex court against the high court verdict which had struck down the inclusion of 77 castes, including 75 Muslim communities, in the OBC list.
