NGO moves SC against 10% quota Bill for general category poor, says it 'violates basic feature' of Constitution

A day after the Rajya Sabha passed the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, an NGO called ‘Youth For Equality’ and Kaushal Kant Mishra filed a petition in the Supreme Court on Thursday challenging the Bill that gives 10 percent reservation in jobs and education to economically weaker sections of the general category. The petition argues that economic criterion cannot be the sole basis for reservation.

The plea also said that the Bill violates basic feature of the Constitution since reservation on economic grounds cannot be limited to the general categories and the 50 percent ceiling limit cannot be breached. [caption id=“attachment_5731831” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of the Supreme Court. AP[/caption] The Rajya Sabha had passed it with 165 voting in its favour and only seven votes against the Bill, a day after the Lok Sabha had approved it. According to the amendment, even private educational institutes will have to allow 10 percent reservation for the poorer sections. The Bill was approved after the House rejected five amendments moved by Opposition members.  The quota will be over and above the existing 50 percent reservation to SCs, STs and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). With inputs from agencies