The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a batch of petitions challenging the quashing of a Punjab government notification that had allowed relatives of Non-Resident Indians to apply to medical colleges in the state under a special quota, Bar and Bench reported.

Non-Resident Indians can apply to medical colleges in Punjab under the quota that reserves 15% of seats for them. On August 20, the Punjab government issued a notification widening the definition of Non-Resident Indians to include their relatives “such as uncles, aunts, grandparents and cousins”.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on September 11 quashed the notification, saying that broadening the definition was “arguably unjustified”, Bar and Bench reported.

Three petitions challenging the High Court order were subsequently filed in the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra called the Punjab government’s notification a “fraud”, according to Bar and Bench.

“We must stop this NRI [Non-Resident Indians] quota business now,” the bench said. “This is complete fraud and this is what we are doing to our education system. Judges know what they are dealing with. High Court has dealt with the case threadbare.”

At the hearing, Senior Advocate Shadan Farasat, representing one of the petitioners, said that other states, including Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh, had followed a broader interpretation of the term “Non-Resident Indians”. However, Punjab used a narrower definition, he said.

In response, the court said: “You say nearest relation of NRI will also be considered. Ward is also anyone’s ward. What is this? This is just a money-spinning tactic of the state.”