The Gauhati High Court issued a notice to the government of Assam over allegedly excluding people of the Jolha community living in the Barak Valley region of Assam from the Other Backward Class (OBC) category.

Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) in the matter, the high court issued a notice to the Assam government.

According to the complainant, the matter pertains to discrimination played by the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in Assam as they have intentionally denied the Jolha community based in the Barak Valley region the same rights as those accorded to the same community living in the Brahmaputra Valley.

Around 30,000 people of the Jolha community living in the Barak Valley region of the state have been affected by the government's decision to withdraw their OBC status, the PIL mentions.

On the other hand, the Jolha community based in the Brahmaputra Valley region of Assam have continued to enjoy the benefits that come with the OBC status, it added.

Regarding this the complainant approached the high court and having heard the matter, the court issued a notice to the Assam government.

The court also asked the government to file an affidavit in the matter within four weeks of time, it has emerged.