The petition challenging the clause procedures followed by Delhi university and Jawaharlal Nehru university to admit students under the other backward class (OBC) quota has been referred to the chief justice of India (CJI) S H Kapadia for consideration.

Supreme court justices R V Raveendran and A K Patnaik on Wednesday recused themselves from hearing the matter after senior advocate P P Rao prayed before the bench to have justice Dalveer Bhandari a part of the bench in view of his earlier judgment in a constitution bench decision of the court.

Justice Raveendran said that the court’s pronouncements are open for interpretation by any colleague judge. While referring the matter to CJI, he said in a lighter vein, “I am on the verge of retirement and don’t want to get involved in any controversy.”

After CJI considers the matter, it will be listed before an appropriate bench.

Earlier, the division bench had sought clarity on the use of ‘cutoff’ and ‘eligibility’ rules for reservation of OBC students in central universities.