10 Per Cent Quota Bill Receives President’s Assent: Reservation For The Poor In General Category Is Now A Law

The bill seeking to provide 10 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to the economically weaker sections in the general category got the President's assent on 12 January, reports Indian Express.

The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday (8 January) and the Rajya Sabha a day later.

The Constitution (103 Amendment) Act, 2019 (as the law will be known) shall come into force on such date as the Centre notifies, an official gazette of India notification said.

The opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha (voted 165-7 in favour of the bill) did back the bill, however, accused the ruling party of bringing the legislation “in haste” with the Lok Sabha elections in mind.

However, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad refuted the allegations by saying that “sixes are hit in the slog overs of a match (cricket) and more sixes will come”.

Calling it a victory for social justice, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was delighted and glad to see the widespread support for the Bill.

The ten per cent reservation would, however, be an addition to the existing 50 per cent reservation for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes, taking the total reservation to 60 per cent, breaching the 50 per cent limit imposed by Supreme Court in Indra Sawhney judgment.

The proposed amendment Bill will define Economically Weaker Section (EWS) as one having:

• Annual household income below Rs 8 lakh.
• Agriculture land below 5 acres.
• Residential house below 1000 sqft.
• Residential plot below 100 yards in notified municipality.
• Residential plot below 200 yards in non-notified municipality area

Also read: Why Modi Government Need Not Fear The ‘Basic Structure’ Test For General Category Reservation