SC upholds 10% quota for economically weaker sections by 3:2 majority

New Delhi: The Supreme Court, by a majority view of 3:2, has upheld the validity of the 103rd Constitution amendment providing 10 per cent reservation to people belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS) in admissions and government jobs. Of the fivejudge bench that delivered the verdict, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Justice Bela M Trivedi, and Justice JB Pardiwala ruled in favour of the quota, stating that the law on reservation for EWS does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution.

WHO FILED THE PETITIONS? The Constitution bench verdict came on a batch of 40 petitions, fi led by NGOs Janhit Abhiyan and Youth for Equality, among others, challenging the Amendment on the ground that economic classifi cation cannot be the sole basis for reservation. The judgment marks a new beginning, petitioner’s advocate Varun Thakur said after verdict.