Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Jitu Patwari has strongly criticized the state government for failing to implement the 27% reservation law for the Other Backward Classes (OBC), alleging a grave constitutional crisis. In a press conference held today, Patwari accused the ruling BJP government of contempt of the Constitution and appealed to the Hon’ble President of India to impose President’s Rule in Madhya Pradesh with immediate effect.
Patwari stated that on March 8, 2019, the then Congress-led state government had issued an ordinance increasing OBC reservation from 14% to 27%. While the ordinance was challenged by MBBS student Smriti Dubey, the High Court had issued a stay only on its implementation in medical postgraduate admissions. Subsequently, in July 2019, the ordinance was ratified and enacted as law through the state legislature.
"To date, this law has neither been overturned by any court nor stayed in its entirety," Patwari said. "Despite this, the BJP government continues to flout the law at will, alternating between 14% and 27% reservation depending on convenience, thereby playing with the future of OBC youth and committing gross injustice."
He further revealed that in several recruitment processes initiated under the 27% quota, selected candidates have not received appointment letters for over four to five years. Even in the most recent teacher recruitment advertisement by the MP Employees Selection Board in January 2025, the state mentioned only 14% OBC reservation, which Patwari termed a blatant violation of the law passed by the Assembly.
Citing official records, Patwari said that the Madhya Pradesh government has itself admitted in court that the state’s OBC population exceeds 50%, yet Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, as head of the executive, has failed to implement a law passed by the legislature—a duty mandated by the Constitution.
"This refusal to uphold a validly enacted law signals a serious constitutional breakdown," Patwari declared, demanding that President’s Rule be imposed in Madhya Pradesh to restore constitutional order and ensure full implementation of the 27% OBC reservation.
