New Delhi, Aug 11 (IANS): The BJP-led government Monday defended in the Supreme Court the previous Congress-led government's decision to extend OBC reservation to the Jat community, saying it was not inspired by electoral consideration but was a bonafide act in public interest.
"As regards the averments that the central government with a motive to gain benefit for the ruling political parties in the forthcoming general election issued the said notification, this fact is denied as unfounded," said the Centre's affidavit filed in the apex court Monday.
"It is submitted that the central government has acted bonafide and in public interest," the affidavit said, supporting the then Congress-led government's decision taken just before the announcement of general election which saw the Bharatiya Janata Party get full majority to form the government.
Seeking dismissal of a petition by the OBC Reservation Raksha Samiti and others challenging the extension of OBC reservation to Jats in nine states, the government affidavit said: "In the present case, the advice tendered by the National Commission for Backward Classes was rejected by the cabinet for the reason that the commission has not adequately taken into account the ground realities."
The government said "it was resolved to include the Jat community in the central list of OBCs for nine states, namely, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan (Bharatpur and Dhaulpur districts), Uttarakhand, Uttar Prardesh and NCT Delhi."
The Centre said this in response to the court's order of April 9.
The apex court, while declining to stay the Centre's decision to extend OBC reservation to Jats in nine states, had sought the government's response to a plea challenging its move.