The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday stayed the implementation of a West Bengal government notification classifying 140 communities as Other Backward Classes, Bar and Bench reported.

A bench comprising Justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Rajasekhar Mantha told the state government not to take steps based on the list till July 31, when the case will be heard next.

The West Bengal government had earlier this month issued a notification adding 76 sub-castes to the Other Backward Classes category, taking the total number of communities in the grouping to 140.

Out of these, 80 communities are from among Muslims, while 60 are non-Muslims, The Indian Express reported. Muslims comprise 57.1% of the population included in the OBC category.

The state government’s previous list of OBCs had 113 sub-groups, of which 77 were Muslims and 36 non-Muslims. However, the High Court had in May 2024 struck down the list, and had reduced OBC reservations from 17% to 7%, The Times of India reported.

The new list would allow the state government to restore OBC reservations to 17%.

The High Court’s May 2024 decision was expected to affect nearly five lakh certificates. The state government’s challenge to the verdict is pending before the Supreme Court.

Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the new list prepared by the government amounted to contempt of court, and alleged that the Trinamool Congress government was trying to provide reservations in education institutes and government jobs on the basis of religion.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader claimed that before 2010, there were 66 communities in the OBC list, of which only 11 were from among Muslims, The Indian Express reported.

However, the Trinamool Congress said that backwardness, and not religion, was the criterion for groups being included in the OBC list. It accused the BJP of trying to pit Hindus against Muslims and following a “divide and rule” policy.

Also read: Why young Muslims from Bengal want the Supreme Court to restore their OBC status