NGO moves SC against 10% reservation Bill

New Delhi, January 10

A day after Parliament passed a constitutional amendment to provide for 10 per cent reservation to economically weaker sections of the General Category in government jobs and educational institutions, an NGO today challenged its validity in the Supreme Court, contending it violated the basic structure of the Constitution.

The Bill, awaiting President’s assent, provides for a maximum of 10 per cent of seats/posts in addition to the reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs, taking the total reservation to 59 per cent.

Youth for Equality has challenged Articles 15(6) and 16(6) added by the amendment on the grounds that economic criterion could not be the sole basis for reservation and that the law exceeded the 50 per cent ceiling fixed by the SC.Imposing quota on unaided institutions was manifestly arbitrary, it contended. — TNS