Supreme Court sets aside HC order on 75% quota in private sector jobs for Haryana residents

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday set aside a Punjab and Haryana High Court order granting an interim stay on a Haryana law providing 75 per cent quota in private sector jobs for residents of the state. A bench of justices L Nageswara Rao and Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha also directed the Haryana government not to take coercive action against employers.

"We do not intend to deal with merits of matter as we propose to request the high court to decide expeditiously and not later than four weeks. Parties are directed not to seek adjournment and be present before court for fixing the schedule for hearing.

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"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 for staying the legislation," the bench said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Haryana government. The order came on an appeal filed by the Haryana government challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court order granting an interim stay on its law providing 75 per cent quota in private sector jobs for residents of the state.

The high court, had on February 3, granted the interim stay on the Haryana government law based on pleas filed by various industry associations from Faridabad and other bodies in the state, including in Gurugram.

The government of Haryana has reportedly notified the law, which provided 75% reservation for locals in private sector jobs that offered a monthly salary below Rs 30,000 from January 15, 2022. It covers private companies, societies, trusts and partnership firms in the state, as per a notification issued by Haryana.