The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on the issue of referring the OBC reservation to a larger bench, thereby pouring cold water on the Centre's long-standing demand for the implementation of 27 per cent quota from the current academic session.

A bench comprising Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice Lokeshwar Singh Panta, however, permitted the intervention applications by the states as well as the recognised political parties and directed that they shall be heard on the issue.

The court also directed senior counsel Harish Salve, appearing for the petitioners opposing 27 per cent reservation being given to OBCs in admission to central educational institutions of higher studies, to compile and consolidate the issue framed by petitioners who are opposing the reference of the petitions to the larger bench.

It also directed Solicitor General G E Vahanvati to do the same for the Centre as well as for those supporting the reservation by tomorrow.

The court directed concerned parties to complete the pleading within eight weeks.

The SC has already stayed for one year the implementation of the central government notification providing 27 per cent reservation to OBCs in educational institutions like IIMS, IITs and post-graduate medical science courses.