The Hindu : SC to hear Centre's plea against state

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 20, 2003

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Other States - Maharashtra

SC to hear Centre's plea against state

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI June 19. The Supreme Court will hear on Monday a petition from the Centre challenging an order passed by the Maharashtra Government to withdraw from the 15 per cent

all- India quota of MBBS and BDS courses for the academic year 2003-2004.

A vacation Bench comprising Justice R.C. Lahoti and Justice Brijesh Kumar fixed the date of hearing after a `mention' was made by the Centre's counsel, A.D.N. Rao, for early listing of the matter.

In its petition, the Centre said the Maharashtra Government on April 30 informed its decision to withdraw from the all- India quota. However, the Centre wrote to the State that if it wanted to withdraw from the all- India scheme it could be done only under the orders of the court and not otherwise.

But in spite of that, the State sent a communication that since the Maharashtra legislation had come into effect from April 12, no student from other States would be nominated in the government medical and dental colleges in the State under the all India quota. Hence the present petition.

The Centre said that even if one admission in the all India quota was required to be changed, it had an inevitable chain reaction and was bound to cause harassment and difficulties to a large number of meritorious students.

The petitioner sought a direction to Maharashtra Government to strictly abide by the all- India scheme for allocation of 15 per cent seats and to ensure that no medical or dental college declined admission to any of the meritorious students.

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SC to hear Centre's plea against state