Political leaders from several Opposition parties on Monday called for an ordinance that says teachers’ appointments will take place as per the existing reservation roster, reported PTI. They also supported the Delhi University Teachers’ Association’s opposition to a circular issued by the University Grants Commission on the faculty reservation mechanism for universities.

Following an Allahabad High Court order which was upheld by the Supreme Court, the UGC in March announced a new mechanism to implement faculty reservations, by calculating reservations in teaching posts by department, instead of basing the quotas on the number of posts available at a university.

This move, however, could reduce the reservation for faculty from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities and Other Backward Classes at all central universities, The Indian Express had reported.

“Till the Supreme Court gives its final ruling, restore status quo ante,” said Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury during a press conference held by the Delhi University Teachers’ Association’s. “If an ordinance is required for it, bring in an ordinance,” PTI quoted him as saying.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi Marlena supported Yechury. “If the matter does not come up in the Supreme Court on July 2, it is my appeal to everyone to build pressure on the Centre to bring in an ordinance to ensure that the appointments for the upcoming academic session happen according to the existing rules,” she said, adding that the reservation policy should not be narrowed down to the extent that it becomes ineffective.

Congress MP Sushmita Dev questioned the government’s intention over not staying the roster.

Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Manoj Jha, Communist Party of India’s Amarjeet Kaur, and Kavita Krishnan from the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) were among those who supported the call for an ordinance.

They appealed to President Ram Nath Kovind to resolve the crisis, so that ad-hoc teachers are reappointed on the basis of the old roster and permanent appointments resumed at the earliest. The current ad-hoc teachers have been appointed according to the college/university-wise roster, which will to be discontinued.