Supreme Court in its judgement today upheld the 10% quota for Economically Weaker Sections from unreserved categories in government jobs and admission in educational institutions.
What Happened?
- Supreme Court has upheld 10% EWS Quota under 103rd Constitution amendment.
- With a majority of 3:2 ratio, the supreme court passed the verdict in favour of the EWS quota.
- Justices Dinesh Maheshwari, Bela Trivedi, and JB Pardiwala backed the EWS quota.
- CJI UU Lalit and Justice S. Ravindra Bhat however dissented from the majority opinion.
- Backing reservation, Justice Maheshwari said the amendment is valid and does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution
What is EWS Reservation?
- It provides 10% reservation to the economically weaker sections in government jobs and admission in educational institutions.
- Economic reservation in jobs and education was ensured by introducing clause (6) in articles 15 and 16 of the constitution.
- According to Central govt., it will ensure social justice and will help in the upliftment of the economically weaker sections of society.
- It was passed by the parliament in January 2019.
- However, several petitions were filed against it in the court, citing ‘illegality’.
The decision of the Apex Court is certainly a big win for the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Social Justice Mission or what he loves to term ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’.
