Kolkata/IBNS, June 18 -- In a fresh blow to the Mamata Banerjee government, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered a stay on West Bengal's new Other Backward Class (OBC) list which was notified earlier in June, media reports said.

A division bench comprising Justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Rajasekhar Mantha issued the stay on the list till July 31.

The next hearing will be held on July 24.

Earlier in June, the state cabinet had included 76 castes to the OBC list comprising existing 64 castes.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had rejected the Opposition's charge that her government was planning to make reservations on the basis of religion stating the backwardness and not religion was the only benchmark to decide OBC status.

The ...