Gujarat OBC Commission to Remain as One-Man Panel, Says Government

The Gujarat government announced in the High Court that the state's OBC Commission will continue to function as a one-man commission, despite earlier plans to appoint two additional members. This decision follows the court's inquiries about the delayed appointments. The commission has operated with only its chairman since 1993.

In a recent court session, the Gujarat government informed the High Court that the state's Other Backward Class (OBC) Commission will continue to operate as a one-man entity, despite previous discussions on expanding the commission's membership.

The announcement came nearly two weeks after the Gujarat High Court questioned the state over the delayed appointment of two additional members, a promise that had been made eight months ago. Instead, the government clarified that expert members could be consulted as needed, maintaining the current structure established in 1993.

The case, presided over by Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi, involves multiple Public Interest Litigations filed in 2018 that advocate for a permanent and expanded OBC commission. During the latest hearing, the Chief Justice criticized the government's decision, suggesting that a multi-member commission would better serve public interest, yet the state remained firm on its stance.

(With inputs from agencies.)