The Calcutta High Court has issued an interim stay on the preparation of a new list of Other Backward Caste (OBC's) persons in the state of West Bengal, which includes new castes in the existing OBC classes list.

A division bench of Justices Rajasekhar Mantha and Tapabrata Chakraborty has ordered the interim stay until the next hearing scheduled for July 31, 2025.

The court has also halted the State government's move to open a portal for submitting caste certificates for adding OBC classes to the new lists.

The petitioner challenged the state's initiative to notify fresh OBC class lists, citing that applications were being accepted from OBC classes whose reservations had been previously revoked by the High Court's division bench.

Background

Last year in May, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court annulled all OBC certificates issued in West Bengal post-2010. The state government appealed this decision to the Supreme Court, stating that a new commission had been established to classify OBC classes in the state.

During the state's challenge in the Supreme Court, it was highlighted that reservations based on religion are not permissible, raising questions about the state's OBC class classification.

A detailed order is pending, and further updates will be provided once available.

Case: AMAL CHANDRA DAS v THE STATE OF WEST BENGAL ADN ORS.

Case No: WPA(P)/111/2025