Big Supreme Court Win For Haryana, 75% Locals’ Jobs Quota Remains For Now

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday set aside a Punjab and Haryana High Court order temporarily staying a Haryana government order on 75 per cent reservation for locals in private sector jobs.

Significantly though, the Haryana government has been told to refrain from taking coercive steps against private sector employers opting not to follow the contentious new law, at this time.

Earlier this month Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar’s government had moved the Supreme Court against a High Court order that called the quota unsustainable and against natural justice.

The state argued the order was passed after a 90-second hearing and that its lawyer was not heard.

The Supreme Court today asked the High Court to hear the matter fully and rule in four weeks.

“We do not intend to deal with merits of matter… request High Court to decide expeditiously, and not later than four weeks. Parties are directed not to seek adjournment…” the court said.

“In the meanwhile, Haryana is directed not to take coercive action against employers. The impugned order passed by the High Court is set aside as the High Court has not given sufficient reasons…”

The Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act, 2020, was passed in November last year. It had come into effect on January 15 this year. The Act applies to jobs offering a maximum gross monthly salary or wages of Rs 30,000

In March last year Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya signed off on the bill.

After the law came into effect, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala had said it will open new avenues of employment for thousands of youth.