Hyderabad: A day after Andhra Pradesh High Court
quashed four percent reservations for Muslims, the state government
Tuesday decided to file an appeal in the Supreme Court.
Chief Minister K. Rosaiah told reporters after a high-level meeting
Tuesday evening that the state would take the services of the
attorney general and the solicitor general of India for fighting the
case in the apex court.
Rosaiah asked the state
advocate general to take all necessary steps immediately to file
Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court.
While admitting that
the high court verdict has disappointed the Muslim community, the
chief minister said it was not proper for him to comment on the
judgment. “The option for the next course of action is open and we
will exercise this option,” he said.
Claiming that the
government was sincere in providing job reservation to Muslims, he
directed the officials to ensure that the interests of students
already enrolled in various professional courses under the quota
were not affected.
A seven-member bench of
the high court Monday quashed a state legislation, providing four
percent reservation to backward classes among Muslims in education
institutions and government jobs.
With the court striking
down quota for the third time since 2004, the government has come
under criticism from the Muslim community and the opposition that it
failed to put up strong defence in the court.
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