Madhya Pradesh High Court Sets April 27 For Final Hearing In Challenge To 27% OBC Quota

The Madhya Pradesh High Court conducted hearing today in a batch of petitions concerning Madhya Pradesh Government's 27% reservation for the Other Backwards Classes (OBC) in public employment.

The Court took note of recent developments before the Supreme Court, where certain transfer and connected matters have been recalled for consideration.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf was informed that two key cases, earlier transferred to the High Court, have now been sent back to the Supreme Court following a recall of the transfer order, prompting procedural directions from the High Court.

At the outset, counsels appearing in the matter submitted that the Supreme Court has recalled its earlier order dated February 19, 2026 transferring specific petitions to the High Court, including those tagged with Transfer Case.

Recording the submission, the High Court directed its Registry to delete the concerned matters from the present cause list and await further orders from the Supreme Court in relation to those proceedings.

The court also noted that a list of cases was being prepared and would be furnished by counsel to streamline the hearing of the remaining matters.

The development stems from a recent order of the Supreme Court dated March 20, 2026, where the Supreme Court clarified and modified its earlier directions concerning the transfer of cases.

In its order, the Supreme Court observed that “the order in main case… which was ordered to be transferred to the High Court of Madhya Pradesh, is recalled,” and further directed that the civil appeals and special leave petitions be listed for hearing in the regular course before it. The Court similarly recalled the transfer of connected special leave petitions, restoring them to its own docket.

The High Court was also apprised that while some matters stand recalled by the Supreme Court, other transferred cases, as reflected in the annexed list before the Supreme Court, continue to remain with the High Court for adjudication. This dual position has created a need to segregate the cases for effective hearing, prompting directions from the bench to ensure clarity in listing and scheduling.

During the hearing, a counsel submitted that since the matter concerns OBC reservation, if a judge belonging to either the OBC or unreserved category hears the case, it could violate principles of natural justice, suggesting possible bias based on social identity. Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva immediately disapproved of the argument, stating, “Please don’t make such submissions.”

Taking note of the submissions, the High Court directed that the remaining petitions be listed for final hearing at the motion stage on April 27 at 12:30 PM. The bench made it clear that no request for adjournment would be entertained.

The batch of cases relates to the challenge surrounding the enhancement of reservation for Other Backward Classes in Madhya Pradesh from 14% to 27%, an issue that has seen extensive litigation across forums.

The Supreme Court, in its earlier order dated February 19, 2026, had remanded the entire batch of matters to the High Court, observing that the High Court is best suited to examine the legality and necessity of such affirmative action measures at the first instance. It had requested expeditious disposal of the petitions within a fixed timeline, without expressing any opinion on the merits.

The Supreme Court had also highlighted the broader constitutional context, noting that while reservation policies fall within the domain of state policy, their validity must be tested against established constitutional principles, including the 50% ceiling laid down in precedent. It underscored that a holistic assessment by the High Court would ensure a balanced consideration of competing claims and administrative realities.

The matter is now listed for final hearing on 27th April, 2026.

Case Title: Ashita Dubey v. The State of Madhya Pradesh and connected matters

Date of Hearing: April 2, 2026

Bench: Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf