Anti-reservation protests (Youth for Equality), 2006

What the government did

1. 16 May 2006

   OtherOtherShare

   The National Human Rights Commission took note of reports of an unprovoked lathi charge on students in Delhi and Mumbai, said the allegations if true raised a serious issue of violation of human rights, and directed the Police Commissioners of Delhi and Mumbai to send factual reports within two weeks.

   MoreLess · 3 sources

   On 26 May it recommended that the government examine the reservation issue thoroughly and asked the strikers to resume work.

   Sources [1][10][27]

2. 18 May 2006

   NegotiationCentreShare

   The Prime Minister set up a Group of Ministers headed by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee; IANS reported that it also included Arjun Singh and P.

   MoreLess · 5 sources

   Chidambaram. On 18 May striker representatives met Mukherjee, and a striking doctor told Rediff that the government said general-category seats would not be touched; the strikers rejected a proposal to increase the number of seats. The GoM held a meeting on 19 May and on 20 May submitted its report, which recommended increasing seats so that the general category would not be affected.

   Sources [40][41][5][29][7]

3. 27 May 2006

   ConcessionCentreShare

   An Oversight Committee was constituted under the orders of the Prime Minister on 27 May 2006, according to the committee's final report; the government announced it on 28-29 May.

   MoreLess · 5 sources

   Chaired by M. Veerappa Moily, Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission, the 13-member committee was to report by 31 August 2006 (later extended to 30 September) on implementing 27 per cent OBC reservation and on the additional infrastructure needed so that seats available to general-category students would not fall. It held its first meeting on 30 May.

   Sources [46][35][48][11][12]

4. 29 May 2006

   OtherCourtShare

   A Supreme Court vacation bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and Lokeshwar Singh Panta issued notice on writ petitions filed by Ashoka Kumar Thakur and by Shiv Khera challenging the OBC quota.

   MoreLess · 4 sources

   It asked the Centre to state in a counter-affidavit, within eight weeks, the basis for identifying Other Backward Classes and the modalities for implementing the policy. The Hindu reported that the court refused to stay the 93rd Amendment and that the bench said the protesters should end their agitation because the matter was before the court.

   Sources [21][34][42][47]

5. 30 May 2006

   OtherCourtShare

   The same bench took up the petitions suo motu.

   MoreLess · 4 sources

   Its order recorded that, although the court had indicated that agitations, protests and strikes on the issue should be called off, the contrary seemed to be happening, and asked the Additional Solicitor General to file a memorandum on whether they were continuing. The Hindu and The Tribune reported that the bench said protests on a matter before the court could amount to contempt. Youth for Equality said, after legal advice, that it would continue the strike because the court's remarks were not an order addressed to the students.

   Sources [22][36][12][43]

6. 31 May 2006

   OtherCourtShare

   The bench directed that all protests, strikes and demonstrations relating to the issues before it be called off forthwith and that medical services be restored, citing a patient's right to treatment under Article 21.

   MoreLess · 5 sources

   It said it was sure the government would take no punitive action once the strikes were called off, and directed that doctors whose services had been terminated be allowed to rejoin within three days; the Additional Solicitor General stated that the termination orders would then be recalled. It added that anyone could make representations to the Centre or apply to join the case. The same day Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss warned that doctors who did not resume duty would be served termination notices. Resident doctors of AIIMS, Safdarjung, Lady Hardinge and Maulana Azad Medical College called off the strike that night; IIT, JNU and Delhi University students said they would continue. On 1 June the court recorded that normal medical services had been restored.

   Sources [23][24][15][14][37]

7. 18 Dec 2006

   OtherCentreShare

   Parliament passed the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Bill, 2006 (introduced 25 August 2006; passed by the Lok Sabha on 14 December and by the Rajya Sabha on 18 December 2006).

   MoreLess · 2 sources

   It received assent on 3 January 2007 as Act No. 5 of 2007 and provides for 15 per cent SC, 7.5 per cent ST and 27 per cent OBC reservation in central educational institutions, excluding minority institutions.

   Sources [16][17]

8. 10 Apr 2008

   OtherCourtShare

   In Ashoka Kumar Thakur v Union of India (Writ Petition (Civil) No. 265 of 2006) a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court held that the 93rd Constitutional Amendment did not violate the basic structure of the Constitution as regards state-maintained and aided institutions, leaving open its validity for private unaided institutions, and that Act 5 of 2007 was not invalid.

   MoreLess · 2 sources

   It held that the creamy layer must be excluded from the OBCs. The lead opinion of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan said Parliament could review the reservation after ten years; the opinion of Justice Arijit Pasayat (with Justice C.K. Thakker) called for a review every five years.

   Sources [20][18]

Outcome

The strike ended on 31 May 2006 after the Supreme Court directed it called off and told the government to let terminated doctors rejoin; the Centre had set up the Moily Oversight Committee, and the quota itself was not rolled back. Parliament enacted the 27 per cent OBC reservation in December 2006 and the Supreme Court upheld it on 10 April 2008 with a creamy-layer exclusion.

Background

Who governed at the start of the protest. Each action above counts for the party in power where and when it happened.

Centre government

INCUPA, Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister

State government

INC in Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister

Places

AIIMS Delhi, Rajpath and India Gate, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Azad Maidan Mumbai, Patna, SGPGIMS Lucknow

Cause

Rollback of the proposed 27 per cent OBC reservation in central higher education institutions

Organisers

Youth for Equality, Resident doctors' associations of Delhi hospitals, Indian Medical Association, United Students

Scale

Hundreds of medical students on the streets in Delhi; resident doctors at AIIMS and other Delhi government hospitals on strike from 12-13 May to 31 May; over 1,000 doctors at Azad Maidan in Mumbai; sympathy protests in IITs, JNU, Delhi University and other cities

What they said

Words in quote marks were matched in the source. Everything else is a summary; open the source for the exact words. Each statement says whether the speaker's party was in power or in opposition at the time.

Sources

1. 1NHRC seeks report on police action against protesters over proposed reservation in higher education; appeals to the medical fraternity to resume dutiesNational Human Rights Commission, 16 May 2006T1 Record
2. 2Medical students up in arms against quota: Police use water cannons, teargas shells (Delhi page)The Tribune, 13 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 22 Aug 2006
3. 3Mumbai docs protest against lathicharge, reservationsUNI via Oneindia, 16 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 19 Oct 2019
4. 4No relook at quota proposals: Arjun SinghThe Tribune, 15 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 21 May 2006
5. 5Panel working out formula, but strikers adamantThe Tribune, 20 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 21 Jan 2022
6. 6PM cautious on quotaThe Tribune, 21 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 12 Dec 2006
7. 7Medicos reject PM's plea, stir will continueIANS via Arab News, Nilofar Suhrawardy, 22 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 14 Nov 2012
8. 8CPM says OBC quota necessary but not for creamy layerUNI via Oneindia, 22 May 2006T5 Secondary
9. 9PM asks anti-quota protestors to call off strikeUNI via Oneindia, 25 May 2006T5 Secondary
10. 10NHRC recommends that the reservation issue should be examined thoroughly; appeals to striking students and doctors to call off their strikeNational Human Rights Commission, 26 May 2006T1 Record
11. 11Anti-reservationists continue stir, more support pours inUNI via Oneindia, 29 May 2006T5 Secondary
12. 12Supreme Court warns striking doctorsThe Tribune, 31 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 8 Dec 2021
13. 13UPA created crisis on quota, BJP must frame policy for youth: AdvaniUNI via Oneindia, 30 May 2006T5 Secondary
14. 14Medicos end stir; IITs to continue anti-quota agitationThe Tribune, 1 Jun 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 12 Dec 2006
15. 15Indian doctors call off strikeReuters via Al Jazeera, 31 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 13 Jun 2025
16. 16The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Bill, 2006 (bill track)PRS Legislative Research, 18 Dec 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 12 May 2021
17. 17The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 (No. 5 of 2007)PRS Legislative Research (Act text), 3 Jan 2007T1 RecordArchived 17 Sep 2021
18. 18Ashoka Kumar Thakur vs Union of India and Ors. (opinion of Arijit Pasayat J, for himself and C.K. Thakker J)Supreme Court of India (Indian Kanoon), 10 Apr 2008T2 CourtArchived 23 Jun 2012
19. 19Violent pro-quota medicos lathi-charged, 35 injured; Bihar CM seeks reportThe Tribune, 20 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 12 Dec 2006
20. 20Ashoka Kumar Thakur vs Union of India & Ors (judgment of K.G. Balakrishnan CJ, with the questions and answers of the Constitution Bench)Supreme Court of India (Indian Kanoon), 10 Apr 2008T2 CourtArchived 3 Mar 2015
21. 21Ashoka Kumar Thakur v. Union of India & Ors, W.P. (C) No. 265 of 2006: record of proceedings, 29 May 2006Supreme Court of India, 29 May 2006T2 Court
22. 22Ashoka Kumar Thakur v. Union of India & Ors, W.P. (C) No. 265 of 2006 with W.P. (C) No. 269 of 2006: record of proceedings, 30 May 2006Supreme Court of India, 30 May 2006T2 Court
23. 23Ashoka Kumar Thakur v. Union of India & Ors, W.P. (C) No. 265 of 2006 with W.P. (C) No. 269 of 2006: record of proceedings, 31 May 2006Supreme Court of India, 31 May 2006T2 Court
24. 24Ashoka Kumar Thakur v. Union of India & Ors, W.P. (C) No. 265 of 2006 with W.P. (C) No. 269 of 2006: record of proceedings, 1 June 2006Supreme Court of India, 1 Jun 2006T2 Court
25. 25Lok Sabha Debates, 16 May 2006: oral answers, Starred Question No. 443, Reservation in Educational InstitutionsLok Sabha Secretariat (Parliament Digital Library), 16 May 2006T1 Record
26. 26Medicos hit streets with anti-reservation rallyThe Hindu, 13 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 4 Mar 2008
27. 27NHRC seeks report on police actionThe Hindu, 17 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 21 Oct 2013
28. 28Doctors from Railways, Defence requisitionedThe Hindu, 17 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 21 Oct 2013
29. 29Call off strike: ManmohanThe Hindu, K.V. Prasad, 21 May 2006T4 ReportArchived 16 Oct 2012
30. 30Termination, eviction notices served on striking AIIMS doctorsThe Hindu, 22 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 29 Jan 2008
31. 31U.P. invokes ESMA against doctorsPTI via The Hindu, 22 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 27 Aug 2006
32. 32Don't worry, Manmohan tells studentsThe Hindu, Aarti Dhar, 27 May 2006T4 ReportArchived 15 Jun 2013
33. 33Talks with medicos failThe Hindu, Aarti Dhar, 29 May 2006T4 ReportArchived 31 May 2006
34. 34End stir, Court tells studentsThe Hindu, Siddharth Narrain, 30 May 2006T4 ReportArchived 13 Aug 2011
35. 3513-member quota Oversight Committee set upThe Hindu, 30 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 29 Jan 2008
36. 36Apex court warns striking medicosThe Hindu, Siddharth Narrain, 31 May 2006T4 ReportArchived 5 Dec 2007
37. 37Resident doctors end agitationThe Hindu, 1 Jun 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 21 Jun 2006
38. 38Arjun rejects relook at quota issuePTI via The Hindu, 15 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 24 Jan 2008
39. 39Medicos' stir intensifies, patients face hardshipPTI via Rediff.com, 13 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 2 Nov 2009
40. 4097 doctors on hunger strike collapseRediff.com, Onkar Singh, 19 May 2006T4 ReportArchived 6 May 2021
41. 41Quota: Doctors may intensify strikeRediff.com, Onkar Singh, 19 May 2006T4 ReportArchived 1 Jan 2007
42. 42Quota: SC issues notice to CentreRediff.com, Onkar Singh, 29 May 2006T4 ReportArchived 19 Oct 2013
43. 43Quota: Doctors will continue strikeRediff.com, Onkar Singh, 30 May 2006T4 ReportArchived 13 Jan 2013
44. 44Lucknow: Striking doctors resume workRediff.com, Sharat Pradhan, 27 May 2006T4 ReportArchived 9 Dec 2007
45. 45Centre calls in Army doctorsRediff.com, 30 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 19 Jul 2024
46. 46Final Report of the Oversight Committee on the Implementation of the New Reservation Policy in Higher Educational InstitutionsOversight Committee (copy hosted by academics-india.com), 30 Sep 2006T1 RecordArchived 21 Oct 2006
47. 47Court questions India quota offerBBC News, 29 May 2006T5 SecondaryArchived 30 Jun 2006
48. 48Moily to head quota panelBusiness Standard, 29 May 2006T5 Secondary

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Faded actions are ones this precedent does not share.