The Madhya Pradesh BJP government has sought to justify before the Supreme Court the state’s move to raise the reservation percentage for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from 14% to 27% that takes the total reservation beyond the 50% ceiling fixed in the Mandal Commission case. While the 1996-97 Report recommended raising the limit from 14% to 27%, the 2000-01 report recommended enhancing the limit to 35%, the state said. In September 1995, this was further revised to 15%, 23% and 27% in Class I and II posts and 13%, 23% and 27% in Class III posts. In March 2019, the State promulgated an ordinance enhancing the OBC reservation from 14% to 27%. This too was challenged before the HC which by interim order dated March 19, stayed the enhanced reservation, but restricted it to the field of medical education.