A five-judge Supreme Court constitutional bench on Thursday stayed a Maharashtra government legislation (passed on April 12, 2003) freezing admissions to medical and engineering courses.

The bench headed by Chief Justice V N Khare told the state to resume the second round of counselling for seats under the All India Medical Quota Scheme as well as admissions to medical and dental colleges.

The order will benefit students from outside Maharashtra, who had applied for admission to medical and dental colleges in the state.

The court also froze the implementation of management quotas in medical and engineering colleges in the state.

The quota allowed the management of these institutions to charge higher admission fees for 15 per cent of the seats in their institutions.

More reports from Maharashtra