New Delhi, Nov 7 (Agency) The Congress on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court’s judgement on 10 percent quota for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). “The Indian National Congress welcomes today’s Supreme Court judgment upholding the 103rd Constitutional Amendment that provides for the 10 per cent reservation quota for Economically Weaker Sections belonging to castes other than Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs,” Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh said in a statement.
The Apex Court in a majority 3:2, on Monday upheld the reservation on economic basis and said it does not violate the essential features of the Constitution. The three judges who ruled in favour are Justices Dinesh Maheshwari, Bela M Trivedi and J B Pardiwala. Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and Justice S Ravindra Bhat gave the dissenting judgement. “EWS amendment does not violate the basic structure as it is based on economic criteria. The state forming special provision for EWS quota does not violate the basic structure. Reservation is an instrument of affirmative action so as to ensure an all-inclusive march towards goals of egalitarian society,” Justice Maheshwari said.