Supreme Court reserves its decision on 10% reservation for economically weaker sections

The Supreme Court has reserved its decision on 10 percent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections. A five-judge constitution bench in the Supreme Court heard the matter for seven days. During this, the Constitution Bench of Chief Justice of India UU Lalit, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Justice S Ravindra Bhat, Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice JB Pardiwala heard the arguments of all the parties. The Constitution Bench will decide whether 10 per cent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) is constitutional or not.

Arguing in this matter, the central government has justified the EWS reservation. The Center told the Supreme Court that the EWS quota does not cut into the rights of the SC / ST category, SC / ST classes are laden with the benefits of reservation. At the same time, the hearing of cases challenging the constitutional validity of reservation for economically weaker sections is going on.

On behalf of the Center, Attorney General KK Venugopal said that the 103rd Constitutional Amendment was brought to establish a series of enabling provisions for the weaker sections of the society. He said that the said amendment provides for affirmative action. Backward classes including SC, ST and OBC include economically weaker section within each. However, the forward classes or general categories also include the economically weaker sections, who are extremely poor. Through the amendment, the state provided affirmative action to such economically weaker sections, who have not got the benefit under the existing reservation.

He told the Supreme Court that in general, unless he shows that the amendment directly affected him, it will not be accepted. There is a section in the general category which is extremely poor, that is, economically weaker section.