Gujarat clears 10% quota for poor in a bid to pacify Patels

Gujarat government has announced a separate 10% quota for economically backward classes (EBC) in higher education and government jobs.

• The new category would cover all upper castes, including Patidars, whose family income does not exceed Rs 6 lakh per annum.
• In this regard, the state government will come out with an ordinance on May 1, celebrated as the foundation day of Gujarat.

Criticisms:

• According to few experts, the quota is impermissible in the Constitution under its Article 16(1), which prohibits reservation on the basis of economic backwardness.
• It also goes against Article 16 (4), which provides for reservation on caste basis.
• The Supreme Court has also made it clear that there cannot be a quota on the basis of economic backwardness in theIndra Sawhney case in 1992.

Way ahead:

The government is firm about this. It has decided to take the fight to the highest level for implementation of the 10% EBC quota. If there is any legal issue, the government has indicated that it will fight it till the Supreme Court.