SC notice to Centre on plea challenging EWS quota

The Supreme Court Monday sought response from the Centre on a plea challenging the government's decision to grant 10 percent reservation in jobs and education to poor candidates belonging to the general category.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna issued notice to the Centre and tagged the matter along with a similar plea.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by Justice (retired) Vangala Eswaraiah and others who have challenged the validity of the Constitution (103 Amendment) Act, 2019, which paved the way for grant of quota to poor who fall in the general category.

The petition has sought the quashing of the bill saying that the economic criterion cannot be the sole basis for reservation.

Earlier, the top court had refused to stay the operation of the Centre's decision granting quota to the poor in the general category on a plea filed by organisations Janhit Abhiyan and Youth For Equality.

The quota will be over and above the existing 50 per cent reservation to SCs, STs and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha cleared the Bill on January 8 and 9 respectively and it has also been signed by President Ram Nath Kovind.