The West Bengal Assembly passed two bills on Monday amending previous OBC reservation laws in line with a Calcutta High Court directive.
The bills reduce the OBC quota from 17 per cent to 7 per cent and limit benefits to 66 classes. Minister for Backward Classes Welfare Gaurishankar Ghosh told the House that 113 classes added without surveys had been removed while 66 others backed by surveys were retained.
The legislation followed a May 2024 High Court ruling that struck down OBC status for 77 communities added after 2010 and cancelled about 12 lakh certificates issued since then. Certificates granted before 2010 remain valid.
During the vote 186 members supported the measures and 17 opposed them. Several rebel TMC legislators walked out while others stayed inside the chamber.
