Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court has observed that the quota for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) at National Law Universities is an ambiguous reservation and unconstitutional, reported Bar and Bench.
While rejecting a petition moved by Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) aspirant, who was unable to apply for a seat in the NRI-sponsored category, a division bench of Justices S Panda and SK Panigrahi said, “The NRIs category is an affront to the meritorious candidates who toiled day night to secure seats in NLUs through CLAT.”
It further observed that the NRIs often get a seat in the NLUs much to the disappointment of general candidates, who score better ranks than them.
The court also noted that this reservation for the ‘elite class’, who can afford to pay the higher fees, was unregulated, illegal, and arbitrary. “This dubious category of quota is unconstitutional.”
It cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in PA Imamdar vs State of Maharashtra to drive the point home.
The HC called upon the Bar Council of India, the Consortium of National Law Universities, and ‘all stakeholders’ to revisit the quota and establish parameters to regulate admissions via the quota as soon as to assuage the pains those who were unable to get admitted to NLUs, the report added.
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