July 1, 2024
1 min read

Congress demands law to exceed 50% reservations quota

Jairam Ramesh emphasized the need for a Constitutional amendment to enable reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs to exceed 50%….reports Asian Lite News

The Congress party has urged Parliament to pass a law allowing reservations to exceed the 50% cap. This call came a day after Janata Dal (United), an NDA constituent, demanded that the increased quota in Bihar be included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

At a JD(U) national executive meeting on Saturday, the party expressed concern over a Patna High Court verdict that struck down the Bihar government’s decision to raise the quota for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from 50% to 65%. The JD(U) passed a political resolution urging the BJP-led Union government to include the State’s law in the Ninth Schedule to prevent judicial review.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X, noted that the Congress has consistently advocated for all State laws related to SC, ST, and OBC reservations to be included in the Ninth Schedule, similar to a Tamil Nadu law in 1994. He welcomed JD(U)’s demand but criticized their ally BJP for remaining silent on the issue.

Ramesh pointed out that including reservation laws beyond the 50% limit in the Ninth Schedule is insufficient, as a 2007 Supreme Court decision allows such laws to be subject to judicial review. He emphasized the need for a Constitutional amendment to enable reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs to exceed 50%.

He clarified that the 50% limit is not explicitly mandated by the Constitution but has been established through Supreme Court rulings. Ramesh highlighted that this demand is a key promise of the Indian National Congress for the Lok Sabha elections and challenged the Prime Minister to clarify his stance. He urged that a Constitutional Amendment Bill be introduced in the next Parliament session and called on JD(U) to move beyond merely passing resolutions.

ALSO READ: Pradhan slams Congress amid NEET-UG row

Previous Story

No Chance PTI Can Release Founder: Fawad Chaudhry

Next Story

Indian envoy explores economic ties with Iran-India Biz Chamber

Latest from India News

Parliament Passes Waqf Bill

Parliament passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill after fierce opposition protests; Modi calls it a “watershed moment” for transparency and justice, while critics allege bias and threat to minority rights. After marathon discussions and
Go toTop

Don't Miss

HAL to showcase its products with thrust on indigenisation

HAL has identified over 100 critical items for indigenisation and

Rupee’s Global March: 1947 to Present

Banks from 22 countries have opened special Rupee vostro accounts