Ranchi, Aug 22: A constitutional bench of the Jharkhand High Court in an interim order today allowed 50 per cent reservation on state government jobs and admission to educational institutions. The five-member bench in its order said 50 per cent reservation will be for state government jobs and admission to educational institutions while 27 per cent for general and open categories. The remaining 23 per cent will be decided on merit. The order followed various PILs on the state government's 73 per cent reservation policy in admission to educational institutions and appointment in state government's jobs.

Government counsel P P Rao who had been asked yesterday to file an affidavit clarifying government's position on the remaining 23 per cent reservation policy, contended that it should be made on ad hoc basis, giving preference to the reserve category. However, the court said the remaining 23 per cent should be open and on the basis of merit.

The bench comprising Chief Justice V K Gupta and Justices Gurusharan Sharma, M Y Eqbal, J Mukhopadhya and Lakshman Uraon, thereafter adjourned the court till the Supreme Court verdict on a similar issue on the legality of the Tamil Nadu government's decision for 69 per cent quota in government jobs.

Bureau Report