The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday decided to promulgate an ordinance to provide five percent reservations for Muslims in educational institutions and public employment in the state.

Briefing journalists, Information and Public Relations Minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir said Muslims would be included in the list of Backward Classes, but the upper layer of Muslims would be excluded from the purview of the quota.

The minister pointed out that the sons and daughters of persons with gross annual income of Rs 250,000 or those working as Class I and II officers in the government or judicial officers and such categories would not be allowed to avail reservations.

Shabbir said that the AP Backward Classes Commission had submitted its report to Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy on June 14.

The state cabinet discussed the commission report on Friday and decided to accept two out of the three main recommendations.

The system followed for Other Backward Classes in the Central government would be followed for Muslims, he explained.

Shabbir said the cabinet did not accept the third recommendation that some vocational groups among Muslims -- like Pinjara, Laddaf, Dudekula, Noorbash and Mehtar -- be excluded from the list of existing Backward Classes and included in the Muslim quota. Reopening the existing quotas would create constitutional problems, the cabinet felt.

The minister added that the existing 93 castes in the A, B, C, D groups of Backward Classes need not entertain any apprehensions that they would be put to loss due to inclusion of Muslims in the reservations regime. A separate category 'E' is being created for Muslims.

Shabbir said the quota for Muslims would be implemented from the ensuing academic year 2005-06 for education and employment. Muslims account for a population of 6.98 million, or 9.2% of the state's total population of 76.21 million as per 2001 census.