UP Government Moves Division Bench
The Uttar Pradesh government has filed a special appeal before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court against a recent ruling that quashed six government orders (GOs) granting extended reservation in admissions to four state-run medical colleges.
The orders, issued between 2010 and 2015, had resulted in 79% reservation for seats in medical colleges located in Ambedkar Nagar, Kannauj, Jalaun, and Saharanpur districts.
On Monday, a division bench comprising Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjive Shukla directed that the case be listed for hearing on Tuesday, September 2. The bench noted that senior counsel JN Mathur would be required to justify how the single-judge ruling was legally flawed.
The court said interim relief would also be considered during Tuesday’s hearing.
Single-Judge Order Quashed GOs
The appeal follows a single-judge order dated August 25, delivered by Justice Pankaj Bhatia, which struck down six government orders.
The court held that the GOs misinterpreted central government policy guidelines and had exceeded the constitutionally accepted 50% reservation cap.
The ruling came in response to a petition filed by NEET 2025 aspirant Sabra Ahamad, who argued that the reservation framework was unconstitutional.
The single judge also directed the Uttar Pradesh medical education department to refill seats afresh in the four medical colleges, strictly as per the Reservation Act of 2006, along with applicable state and central quotas.
Arguments in Court
The petitioner’s counsel argued that the GOs were inconsistent with Section 4 of the Reservation Act, 2006, and lacked legal validity.
“The GOs fixing reservation are clearly contrary to the mandate of law and therefore deserve to be quashed,” the counsel said.
The state’s legal team, however, opposed the plea and defended the government’s decision, asserting that the reservation ensured broader access to medical education for underrepresented groups.
The single judge, while striking down the orders, observed:
“The reservation has clearly violated the well-settled rule of not exceeding 50%, that too without any authority of law. As such, the same cannot be justified.”
Constitutional Debate on Reservation
The case highlights a broader debate around the extent of permissible reservation in educational institutions.
The Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld that reservations in admissions and employment should not exceed 50%, unless backed by extraordinary circumstances or explicit legal provisions.
Legal experts say the outcome of the UP government’s appeal will have significant implications for medical admissions in the state, especially as thousands of NEET aspirants await clarity.