The Madhya Pradesh General Administration Department has issued a significant administrative order altering its legal representation in the ongoing judicial dispute over the Other Backward Class (OBC) reservation. This directive, released at a crucial juncture, follows a Supreme Court order from February 2026 concerning cases and petitions linked to the OBC quota increase. Special counsels Rameshwar Singh Thakur and Vinayak Prasad Shah, initially representing the state’s stance, have been officially replaced as part of this legal restructuring.
Their removal has stirred public debate due to the timing amidst active court proceedings. The state government clarified that this new notification supersedes all previous court orders regarding the appointment of advocates in these specific cases. A high-profile legal team, including Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj, has been assembled to present the state’s side before the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur.
The Advocate General of Madhya Pradesh, Prashant Singh, and various law officers from the Advocate General’s office will also be part of this newly appointed panel. The recent court proceedings saw the Advocate General informing the court that K.M. Nataraj would now play a leading role in presenting the state government’s case. The order specifies the establishment of separate terms and appearance fees for the Solicitor General and Additional Solicitor General, reflecting the state administration’s commitment to upholding its 27 percent reservation policy through a revised legal strategy.
Copies of the court order have been sent to the Law and Legislative Affairs Department and the Finance Department for immediate coordination and necessary action as the High Court continues its deliberations.
